We’re Getting Old!
I’m not as young as I used to be. This thought went through my head multiple times the other night as I drove home from a late night flight. My day began around 4:30am and at 12:30am the next morning, I was struggling to stay awake at the wheel. In my college days, staying up all day and half the night was no problem. But now, I’m nearly worthless after a long day.
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But, it’s not just the exhaustion of a long day that betrays my age. Aging is beginning to show up in other places. I used to be able to eat anything I wanted without gaining weight–not true anymore! Then there are the aches and pains that follow manual labor around the house. And my eyes? Well, I’m wearing bifocal contacts now and struggling with those.
Yes, whether I like it or not, I’m getting older. The more years I put on, the less efficient my body becomes. Not to get depressing, but the reality is I’m on the downhill free-fall. One day, if Jesus tarries further, my body will completely shut down, I’ll breath my last breath, and it will all be over. This is the curse, and everyone of us is heading in the same direction.
Over the years, I’ve had to officiate for many funerals. Funerals are unique events. They are one of the few places where everyone is equal. It doesn’t matter where you’re from, how much education you’ve earned or money you’ve made. For about an hour, those things that keep us divided in society get left at the door as we all gather together to pay our last respects.
In the funeral parlor, there tends to be a pensive solemnity. The elephant in the room is the deep down sense that one day, it will be us in that casket. Every year, we are one step closer and every fiber of our body communicates to us that the end is near. The question that should come to our minds is what will happen next. Is a short lifespan on earth all that we have to look forward to? Thankfully, no!
Genesis 1 and 2 record God’s ex-nihilo (out of nothing) creation of the world and its contents including Adam and Eve. To the pair He said “. . . Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth” (Gen. 1:28). The corpus of scripture provides the reader small glimpses of the perfect world (Gen 2, Is 65, Rev 21, etc.). But for the most part, the beauty of what the Lord intended for this world is left to our imaginations–dreams that are checked by 1 Corinthians 2:9 where we are clearly told we have no idea what God has prepared for us.
Notwithstanding, we can somewhat envision a perfect world. The trees are bigger, the animals tame, and fruit is plentiful, delicious and likely massive in size. Precious jewels decorate the landscape and the water is pure and clear as glass. But more importantly, the vital reality of the garden and heaven alike is that there is no death. That’s right, God created us for an immortal life of glorious bliss.
When Adam and Eve sinned in Genesis 3 they were expelled from their Garden home. God said “. . . lest he put out his hand and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live forever–therefore the Lord God sent him out of the garden of Eden. . .” (Gen 3:22-23). Sadly, as soon as they sinned they began to die. The Lord declared “. . . Till you return to the ground, For out of it you were taken; For dust you are, And to dust you shall return” (Gen 3:19). Can you imagine their emotional state? Having to leave their home must have been difficult. And what about their encounters with death? Every withering flower, dead tree, and sacrificed animal must have reminded them of their impending fate.
But God did not leave them without hope. In vs. 15 of Gen. 3, God promised to send a deliverer. Romans 5:6-8 put it this way “For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
And here’s the great news. “For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man’s obedience many will be made righteous. Moreover the law entered that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more, so that as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Rom 5:19-21).
The day is coming, and I believe sooner than most understand, when the clouds will roll back as a scroll (Rev. 6:14), the trumpet will sound (1 Cor. 15:52) and Jesus will return for His people (Rev. 19:11-16). And on that day, God will bring and end to death for the righteous. “So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: ‘Death is swallowed up in victory’” (1 Cor. 15:54).
And what about our ailments? He’s got that under control too. “Say to those who are fearful-hearted, ‘Be strong, do not fear! Behold, your God will come with vengeance, With the recompense of God; He will come and save you.’ Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, And the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. Then the lame shall leap like a deer, And the tongue of the dumb sing” (Is. 35:4-6).
Praise the Lord. Soon and very soon, we will be in the heavenly kingdom and this miserable life on earth will be over. Keep your eyes fixed on Jesus and He will see that you receive a crown of victory.
