Mike’s Musings …
Reaching Three-Score and Ten
The psalmist wrote, “The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labour and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away.” (Psalms 90:10) Having now obtained that distinguished level of time, I heartily attest to the strength of these years being the gift of Almighty God, and I can also attest to their brevity. I am grateful for these years and pray that should God grant more to this clay, they are filled with a simultaneous opportunity of service to Him.
Years are strange things. As the psalmist says, “their strength is labor and sorrow.” The older one becomes, the more aware of that truth they grow. It isn’t vanity to grow old unless God is absent from those years. Even then, one must rejoice in such labors of love, and accept the sorrows that occur. Perhaps it is the sorrows that teach us humility, and the dependency upon God to comfort us (Hebrews 13:5 – 6). At the very least, such lessons teach us contentment! As an elderly one once proclaimed, “No one should ever complain about growing old; too many are denied the privilege.”
At seventy years, an aura of “completeness” overwhelms the bible student as he contemplates seven as a complete number. Ten times the completeness now achieved chronologically, how complete are we spiritually? There are seven works to be added to faith (2 Peter 1: 3 – 11). Without them, we are incomplete and unprepared for entrance into the everlasting kingdom (ibid.) Statistically, those of us at seventy years haven’t much time left to complete our completeness of faith! Some might not be concerned regarding that fact and will die unprepared! While most of this age has set in order their affairs for the inevitable time of physical death, many seem unconcerned about assuring eternal LIFE after the soul departs the body! Are you complete in Christ? (Colossians 2:10)
I muse on the wonderful years of my life – ALL of them! Sure, there are things I prefer to forget. Yet when I call to remembrance the multitude of blessings God has bestowed upon those years, including the immeasurable blessings gathered from being with His children in multiple places multiple times and sharing in the fellowship of His word, I cannot be sad! I know not what shall be on the morrow, but this one thing I pray: If God grants more tomorrows, each one must be a day of love and adoration for Him, and a day of opportunity to prove that love and adoration with diligent service in His kingdom. Life is comprised of time; therefore, to waste time is to waste life! Let us carefully use our time/our life to be active in His service, so that we might live ETERNALLY with Him!