I recently celebrated a birthday. Yay! Happy birthday to me! It wasn’t one of those BIG numbers either, but it was still a number. When I was younger I looked at people my age as old. And, to some extent, I’m what society would consider “middle-aged”. Psychology Today even defines midlife as “the central period of a person’s life from approximately age 40 to age 65.” Now, I don’t feel I need to tell you how old I am, so don’t go thinking I’m going to spill that information. Plus, I’ve heard asking a woman her age is not polite.
At any rate, I do have to admit that as I get older, the thought of dying and death seems more of a reality than when I was twenty years old. Some people don’t live to see forty and others pass away before getting a chance to retire at sixty-five, or even later these days. It may sound morbid, but I can’t help realizing my mortality. I won’t live forever and frankly, I don’t want to.
We also have heard the phrase, “Time doesn’t stop for no one”. It doesn’t and that’s a fact. However, life will stop for each one of us at some point. We’re like a Timex watch that ticks until the battery dies. We have a battery of life in our bodies. When it’s our specific time to go, that’s when we go. Our lives are truly in God’s hands.
All in all, I’m grateful and blessed to be alive at my age. I’m learning not to take for granted my health, my mind, my muscles, my brain, and my heart. Our body is an important temple. And speaking of temples…
In 1 Corinthians 6:19 of the Bible, the Apostle Paul tells us… “Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?”
So, what does “… we are not of our own mean?” Well, according to Genesis 1:27, we are made in the likeness of God, which therefore suggests we come from God. It’s true. Here’s the scripture verse: “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.”
In 1 Corinthians 3:16, it tells us this, “Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?” Does God’s Spirit dwell in you?
I’ve been pondering many questions lately: Have I lived purposefully? Is there more to accomplish on earth? Have I been taking care of my temple the right way? Are there more stories for me to write, or am I done? How will I live the remaining years of my life? Or better yet, how will I live my life in the next two weeks? I could go on and on.
I know what you’re thinking, all these questions on mortality from celebrating a birthday? Come on, forget about it. Live your life. Do what pleases you. Yes, yes, I’ve heard all those remarks. The truth is, I don’t want to leave anything unfinished while living because there is so much work to do and that’s doing the work God calls me to do. What that looks like is none of your concern because you should have your own calling.
Have you thought about your mortality lately? Maybe you should because time stops for no one.
Until next time…
Be well. Be safe. Be happy!
