Thirties

Thirties

Any time the scripture mentions the age of someone I like to take note of it. God wasted no words when revealing His mind to us in the Bible, so when He mentions someone's age then it's there for a reason, if only to give us record and a time frame to consider. We, as finite beings, operate within the constraints of limited time on this earth but our God does not. That being the case, time and age matter to us and God reveals multiple things to help guide us through our limited time and how to live righteously before Him. I've often thought of the various undividuals mentioned in the Bible and considered my own life in comparison to theirs, if for no other reason than finding a spiritual or physical benchmark for my own life and how I'm living. Being that I turned 33 yesterday I have been thinking very soberly about my Savior and others in the Bible and what they did at my age. 33 is an age that carries with it some very vivid details from the Bible and it's one that causes me to investigate my life, to look forward and view the path which the life I lead now is heading - it's a thought that gives me pause and causes me to sit in silence and reflect. My Lord went to the cross to die for the sins of mankind at my age...

What will I do with my remaining years, however long or short they may be, in serving and giving unto the Lord?

With those thoughts in mind, I'd like to look some men in the Bible in their thirties and learn some lessons from their time here on this earth:

Gen.41:46 Joseph was 30 when he became second in command throughout all of Egypt and gathered food during seven years of plenty; he was married and had two children before the seven years of famine came; at about 37 he managed the food supply during the seven years of famine and all surrounding nations came to him for survival and their distribution of food.

2 Sam.5 - David was 30 when he began to reign over Israel; spent his twenties fighting battles for the Lord and running from Saul (talk about stress!) and throughout his thirties serving the Lord, though he stumbled at times. His heart was tender and attentive to being right with God.

2 Kgs.22 - Josiah reigned righteously until he was 39; called nation of Israel back to the Lord to serve Him faithfully, which he led them in doing all his days as king, whole nation mourned his death - what an impact for such a young man!!

Numbers 4; 1 Chron.23  - Levites and priests at 30 yrs old and above were numbered for service; men in their thirties charged with leading God's people in worship, sacrifices, in teaching and learning of God's word. Such a huge responsibility! They had to be grounded in God's word to do this and equipped to lead the nation in it.

Lk.3:23 - Jesus began ministry at 30 until about 33 at His death (John would have been a few months older, about same age when he was killed by Herod); Jesus spent His thirties showing mankind how to live and ultimately how to die, how to submit to the will of the Father, how to go home when our time here is done. Our Lord showed us how to defeat satan and how to draw ever-nearer to God. Jesus, who is our Priest and King, the One who gives us the bread of life and fountain of living waters in a land of famine - the One to whom we go for our daily distribution of food which never perishes (Matt.5:6) - is our ultimate example.

What beautiful thoughts left for us from God, the realization that we can serve Him in our day and that we can also be pleasing. The beauty of being able to serve in such a capacity that our whole lives can be that of glory and cause for others to render praise and thanksgiving unto God. The challenge before us of striving to serve Him completely, to realize just how brightly we shine when we truly reflect our Savior and do it His way. What a blessing to live our days under His law and under His guidance.

Consider the impact these men made upon the world. Consider the spiritual growth, their righteousness, their complete devotion to God. And now I look at myself and my own life, I question my actions and whether I'm living and growing in my thirties as these heroes of Scripture did. I question my own actions and whether I'm living up to the potential and using fully the talents which the Lord has blessed my life with, whether I'm serving those in my time upon earth as these men did in their time. I look at these men and rather than feel as if I could never live up to their example, I'm energized and excited about the prospect of serving God as strongly and faithfully as each of these did. I'm excited at the prospect of serving like my Savior and taking on the responsibilities given by God to the fullest capacity. We all leave an imprint, we all make waves with our actions and with our lives, the ripples of our life will either continue after we're gone or they will die shortly after we leave this life -- living a faithful and godly life will leave ripples in the lives of generations to come!! God will write our names in His book of life eternal! The Creator of all will take note of us and gather us to Him to live in eternity!!! Don't you want to be among those numbered?!!

Let's take the examples of God's word and use them to better ourselves and to push us to strive evermore to maximize our lives with full service and obedience to the Lord. I want to encourage each reading this to find an individual in the Bible who is close in years to your own and see what you can learn from the record of their life - whether their lifestyle is one to imitate or a lifestyle to avoid.

What shall we leave behind us? What will our name mean to the generations who follow? Will we find our name written for eternity in the Lamb’s Book of Life?

Our actions right now, and from this time forward, determine these answers. Live by the Book, and may we all reach eternity by truly and faithfully walking in the footsteps of Jesus our Lord, our Redeemer.