My Future...at 73

I am 73 and have a number of "damaged parts". I am not among those Christians who think that God is The Giant Tester in the Sky, something like a miserable Latin teacher I had in high school. God's "tests", they think, are for the purpose of seeing whether or not we pass or fail, or to see how much we can endure. No. God's "tests" are designed to cause us to be strengthened; for us to grow up as we move on in our journey. I have concluded also that aging is God's final reality check. We really don't know how full of pride and independence (from Him) we are until sickness or aging hits us!! Aging is humbling. BUT that can be partly a good thing if it thrusts us into the arms of our loving God who is working toward our becoming what He designed us for now and in our eternal future.

I look forward to my "Future". While there is not a lot of “future” left in this earth life, I look forward to a future of “Heaven” life, whatever that is. I do not believe it is a place to sit around on clouds and play on little harps. I expect to explore the wonders of the universe and beyond. I imagine spending time with Jesus as well as all my relatives and friends who have gone on. I also think about what challenging service that He will have for me to do. And, about having a body free of pain and suffering; a body which is youthful--and limber.

One delightful elderly patient I had was very animated one day when I went into her room. She said she was “going home next week” and was talking excitedly about seeing her former Sunday School students and others whom she had known in the past. It seems that her doctor had told her: "You are going home next week." Apparently this lady had attended a church where they used the term "going home" to refer to dying and going to heaven. In her slightly confused mental state she thought the doctor was telling her that she was going to die the following week. She was anticipating her "home going" with great enthusiasm!!

God reminded me recently that life is a gift. I believe that there are contributions to be made--even if it is only a smile, a word, or prayer for others. Ultimately, God is the loving giver of life and also the one who determines when life will end (Job 1:21). Until then may I be a fruitful branch to Him, even when I definitely don't feel like it!

This life is just the "foyer", not the main building. When my family visited Las Vegas on a ministry trip in the 1970's, my husband wanted our grade-school aged children and I to see the inside of a casino. To my surprise there was a really huge foyer before you reached the gaming floor. And, even more surprising, there were NO chairs or other places to sit in the foyer. The message? Move on to the gambling area; no time or place to sit in the foyer. I thought: Hmmm...Rather like this life. While God gives us places of rest during our journey, still the idea is that this life is not the main event!!! It is only the foyer!

Keep Your Eyes on the Prize!!!!

      Yesterday I was reading about “adoption” and “sonship” in the New Testament. I fully believe that the “adoption” that the Apostle Paul is talking about has far more to do with maturity in the believer than it has to do with being born again. If someone tells me they were “adopted” into God’s family, I tell them, “Not me! I was born into God’s family. I have His DNA!” The “adoption” of which Paul is speaking is not the same as we ordinarily understand it,  i.e. legally making a child (not of your seed) part of your family so that you call him/her your “son/daughter”. While you have legally made such a one to be your child, he/she will never be your child physically or biologically; he does not carry your DNA.

     Paul was speaking of a process of his era whereby a tutor was given the task of educating and preparing a child for an adult life of maturity and responsibility, perhaps in the father’s business. To be “adopted” was, at the appropriate time, to be placed as a mature son in the father’s family. (Read Romans  8:14-25). While suffering is going to occur in this process, it is designed to produce maturity—mature sonship: “For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God…even we ourselves [not just creation] groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption [to sonship], the redemption of our body...” (See NKJV and NIV)

      Recent revelations about an internationally known TV station owner’s extended extra-marital affair have caused us to pause and grieve--once again. Many comments could be made. Nevertheless, for us, we must remember to Keep Our Eyes on the Prize! And, seek to grow into mature sons whom God can entrust with His Kingdom business. Ones who will, like Moses and Joseph, choose righteousness and integrity above any sexual or other temporal desire. “By faith Moses…[chose] to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt, for he looked to the reward…” (Hebrews 11:25,26)

                                       LET’S KEEP OUR EYES ON THE PRIZE!!!