Reflecting on Seventy Years

Septuagenarian Saints and Sinners.

I am, as of today, a septuagenarian. Seventy years ago, I did not make February 8-9 easy for my mom. I was born at 1:33 a.m. in Bethany Hospital. I kept a bunch of people awake: Mom, Dad, the delivery doctor and probably a whole bunch of relatives waiting to hear the news. Mom was 21 and Dad was 23. I was born a sinner, but for the most part I worked hard to be a “good boy.” It wasn’t until I was nine years old that someone, Mr. Keith Martin, revealed the truth to me. I was a bad boy.

Now, I already knew that, but I worked at trying to hide it. My parents had taken me to church since infancy. However, Mr. Martin, my fourth grade Sunday School teacher told me what God’s view was. As it turns out, God was right about me, and I not only agreed about the problem and my destiny, but I accepted God’s wonderful gift. Like Jesus told Nicodemus, I needed a new birth certificate. I needed to be born again. Read John chapter three if you need the details.

Septuagenarian is a funny word. Dictionary.com says “The word septuagenarian comes from the Latin word septuāgēnārius, from septuāgēnī, meaning “seventy each,” from septuāgintā, “seventy.” The suffix “-an” is used to indicate a person (as seen in words like pedestrian, politician, and historian).” That is a fancy way to say, “The person Wayne has been in the world for seventy years.”

Psalm 90 Reflections

“The years of our life are seventy, or even by reason of strength eighty; yet their span is but toil and trouble; they are soon gone, and we fly away.” Psalm 90:10 (ESV) I have been blessed with many years. I reached the seventy-year mark. But this should only cause me to think even more carefully about life, death, and the things that really matter. Let me share what really matters.

Social Security and Good Shepherd Security Compared

The Social Security Period Life Table helps me “number my days.” However, as my reader knows, there is no guarantee that I will see 71. Someday, and perhaps soon, I will cease to have “Social Security.” That is really good news. Someday, I will have a grand exit from Social Security to Good Shepherd Security. It is comforting to know that the Lord is my Shepherd. He is the Good Shepherd (Psalm 23 and John 10) He is also the Chief Shepherd.

1 Peter 5:1-11 says, “So I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, as well as a partaker in the glory that is going to be revealed: shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly; not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock. And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory. Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for ‘God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.’

“Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. To him be the dominion forever and ever. Amen.” (ESV)

My Death Certificate is Just a Footnote

Just as I have a birth certificate, someday I will have a death certificate. Well, I won’t have it, but it will probably be issued by some medical person. Don’t view it as my end. View it as my restoration to the way God intended me to be. It will be an eye twinkle moment.

Here is the Truth about my Destiny

“I tell you this, brothers: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality. 54 When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: ‘Death is swallowed up in victory.’ ‘O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?’ The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” 1 Corinthians 15:50-57 ESV

Let these words sink in: Changed, raised, imperishable, immortality, victory!

Thanks be to God.

All glory to God.