Celebrating Your Age

LORD, remind me how brief my time on earth will be. Remind me that my days are numbered—how fleeting my life is. . . . And so, Lord, where do I put my hope? My only hope is in you.

“Um, I think I saw a picture of your husband the other day?” another parent mentioned at preschool drop-off.

“Oh!” I said, recognizing her hesitant tone. “Did it happen to be at the entrance to the neighborhood?”

“Yes!” she said, relieved that I knew what she meant. We shared a laugh as I explained that my husband’s friends had created the enormous banner for his fortieth birthday. It included a photoshopped picture of him wearing a weird, hairy bikini. They’d placed it in front of his gym first, then moved it over to our neighborhood, where everyone who drove past could see it easily.

I couldn’t help but roll my eyes at the practical jokers we call friends, but the truth is, that milestone is one I appreciate. I can’t say I’m glad, exactly, to be getting older. But I am grateful for the wisdom of experience and for what we’ve learned over the years. I’m a lot more sure about who I am now than I was at eighteen or even at twenty-eight, and most of that is because my life experiences have made me more and more sure of who Jesus is and why he can be trusted.

When we consider our age in the context of the brevity of life, we are more likely to recognize our need for God and his wisdom. It’s easier to trust God when we’ve walked through fiery trials, his hand in ours, and come out the other side intact. We can trust him because he has walked with us through unsettling diagnoses for our loved ones, the ups and downs of marriage and parenting, and the stresses of conflict at work or in the community. Our experience demonstrates that God is who he says he is and will do what he promises.

Kristin

Today’s Act of Gratitude

Consider your age, thanking God for the life experience and wisdom you’ve gained over time.