Children love to watch the calendar. Eager anticipation of special events keeps them excited through much of the year. Our youngest grandson recently celebrated 4 ½ years. If only we had known about those ½ year celebrations when we were growing up!
Soon our calendars are filled with activities of all sorts. So many things find their way into our calendars that we become slaves to our schedules. Important things get postponed or overlooked altogether. When this becomes our way of life, kingdom responsibilities are forgotten and we become less focused on spiritual matters (cf. Mt. 6:33).
If recent events cause us to slow-down, re-think, and re-evaluate our spiritual priorities, then we will have received the blessing God has promised in trial. Continuing in the path of re-discovery will be the key to our spiritual success (Heb. 10:36).
In humble and steadfast devotion, Solomon served the Lord with his whole heart. His success is well-chronicled in the pages of God’s word (1 Kgs. 10:7). But, when Solomon grew old, “his wives turned his heart away after other gods; and his heart was not wholly devoted to the Lord his God, as the heart of David his father had been” (1 Kgs. 11:4). In spite of his age and many years of faithfulness, the anger of the Lord burned against Solomon and He tore the kingdom out of his hands, though in the days of his son, Rehoboam (1 Kgs. 11:9-12).
Unrealized potential, wasted opportunity, and careless neglect are a few things we associate with failure. Showing up is not the same thing as faithfulness. Fielding a team is not the same thing as winning the game. And, growing old does not guarantee ultimate victory.
Years are “golden” only as we persevere in the faith and set our heart on the spiritual treasures Christ has in store for us in the next life. Like a palm tree, David says the righteous will flourish in the house of the Lord. They “will still yield fruit in old age” and declare the uprightness of the Lord (Psa. 92:12-15). We cannot know what the future holds; but, regardless of age, we can use today to grow closer to God, more active in His service, and more beneficial to His cause.
–Glen Elliott–