If God grants me life, I will pass a milestone next week. I will be seventy years old. My life grows more challenging, more interesting, and more exciting with each birthday. Each year seems to pass more quickly. One of the great joys of growing older is being able to look back on life and recall how God’s grace, power, and love have touched and enriched our lives. I bet that is true for you, too. Sure, some have been plunged into despair at times only to rediscover His promise never to leave nor forsake us. Some have emerged from ferocious trials with the testimony on our lips that God works all things for good to those who love Him and are called according to His purpose. Some have endured life-changing losses while clinging tenaciously to His promise that a day is coming when He will wipe away every tear.
At “going on” seventy, I am peering into an unknown future with confidence that the best days of my life are still to come. Chuck Swindoll suggested that the year ahead is “an ocean of possibilities, including both sun-drenched days and a few storms with howling winds and giant waves.” We must not fear the storms so much that we stay in the dock and miss the adventures that God has for us. We can navigate the seas of life with confidence by following a few simple guidelines.
First, welcome each day as a God-given opportunity. James 4:14 says that our lives are like a vaper that is visible for a moment and then disappears. None of us is promised tomorrow, so it is extremely important that we see each day as a gift from God.
Second, begin each day with prayer. This is not a call for a pre-dawn sixty- minute prayer vigil. It is an encouragement to spend a few minutes each morning acknowledging God’s goodness and His sovereignty over all your activities that day. Psalm 5:3 says, “In the morning, O Lord, you hear my voice; in the morning, I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation.”
Third, spend some time in Bible study each day. It is not necessary to reach ten or twelve chapters. What is important is that spend some time every day in God’s word. Use a good devotional guide, a read through the Bible plan, or simply a chapter a day. In Deuteronomy 8:3, God was speaking to the Israelites, reminding them of His provision of manna when they were dying of hunger in the wilderness. He made that provision to “teach (them) that man does not live by bread alone, but by on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.”
Finally, seize opportunities to invite others to experience the joy of Christ with you. People will take more notice of your faith when you weather the storms that will inevitably invade your life. When you emerge from those storms batter but intact, you have earned the right to tell others about the Source of your strength and hope.
As I set the course into the twilight of my life, simple habits like these will strengthen my resolve and help me finish strong! They can do the same for you! Try them for a week and see how God will change your perspective and your life. Psalm 118:24 says THIS is the day the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it!”
