As a kid I would look at old people--you know, those folks who had reached the ripe old age of 35--and I would see them as simply old. People who were 60, or 70, or even 80, well...they were ancient! As far as I could see, everything about them was old. Their attitudes, their clothes, their hair styles, and even their houses looked and smelled old. I never imagined there was something inside of them that didn't age. To discover that, I had to age myself.
Just this morning I was spending time in prayer and I was thanking the Lord for my family. Suddenly, as I was praying, I started thinking about those delightful little kids who call me "grandpa" and the idea was so funny to me I began to laugh! As I did, I thanked God that He had allowed me to be a grandpa. ME!! A grandpa!! How absurd! After all...I'm just a kid!
If I stay busy during the day, and steer clear of any mirrors, I can actually begin to forget how old I am. (Just wait, when you get older you will too.) But then, inevitably I walk by a mirror, and BOOM--I'm shaken back to reality. Oh yeah...gray hair...wrinkles...I almost forgot...I'm a grandpa! (Why do we have mirrors around anyway? They should be illegal!)
There's a wonderful Psalm in the Bible written by Moses that contains a fascinating line that emerges in the form of a prayer. It says:
Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom. Psalm 90:12 (NIV84)
I don't know that I would have ever understood that verse in my younger days--at least not like I do now. The human soul knows no age, therefore it cannot accurately gauge the balance of the days that are ahead without the Lord's help and intervention. (Oh and mirrors kinda help too.) So Moses cried out to the Lord for His perspective on life.
Even though my heart will live on in Your presence for eternity, make me to see the life I live on this earth...so I may use these days as the precious gift they are, and not fritter them away in selfish pleasures that bear me no reward--and You no glory.
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