Monday, April 26, 2010

26 years and counting

Tomorrow (April 27) is my birthday. I am going to be 26. The funny thing about this age is that it is very young to some people and VERY old to some other people (mostly my students). There will come a time when I will be old to everyone, but not yet today. Whenever I stop to think about it, life really does move fast on you. Sure there are some seasons when it all seems to slow down, but for the most part for me it just keeps getting faster. I can remember when Noelle and I first decided we'd be moving to Portland, how it felt so very far away. Now it is almost 3 months to the very day of when we'll be moving, and I know it will move quickly. Life really does move fast on you, especially if you don't take some time to think about it.

One other thing I've realized about life: God does not owe anyone another day on this planet. Each day is a "gift" in the sense that God gives it to us, but just because it's a gift doesn't mean we can do whatever we want with it and pretend God didn't give it to us. Every single day could legitimately be your last day. Could be my last day. Whose to say I'll make it til 9:37 a.m. on April 27th to celebrate the actual moment (I believe that's the time at least) of my birth? Just stop to take a few breaths and realize you're alive right now. There will come a day when you won't be alive... take that in as well. It could be within a week, it may not be for 70 more years, but there will be a day when you're not alive on this planet any longer. Sorry if I'm rambling about this but sometimes it just needs to hit you, all of this stuff about life and death and not being owed another day.

Finally, I love being alive. I'm very happy to be alive. I even love most things about my life. And by God's grace, I'm learning to love the things I don't really love. I'm learning to see how sovereign God is over human history, over human disease, over the Fall (not the season but the sinful state of humanity), and how in it all he is good, he is redeeming a broken world to it's original order, he is making all things new. So when I have a smile on my face through difficult times, it won't be fake... I'll be walking through difficulty with a faithful Lord and Savior. I'm only 26... I'm an ancient 26 to some people... and I do hope that God intends to give me another 70 years. But no matter the length of days I have remaining, this I know: I belong to him and forever will. Amen.

1 comment:

  1. Sobering thoughts, but necessary to hear. Certainly NOT what was on mind mind at 26 but frequently on mind now. But it is so good to know that regardless of how many minutes, days, weeks or years we have here on earth...we (believers) will spend eternity with Christ. How very exciting. Happy Birthday, Chris...I truly hope you have many, many more.

    Laura B.

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