The fifty year mark is a great time to reflect. The reality at fifty is, for most of us, life is beyond half over. In my twenties I had dreams and grandeur of the future. In my thirties I was busy raising a family and establishing my home. In my forties I started to listen to the Lord's correction and direction. I honestly have no expectations for my fifties except to engage my full attention on who and what Jesus Christ wants me to be to everyone I come in contact with. To follow His direction. To listen to where and how He wants my life to go.
There's tremendous freedom in giving it all to our Great and Mighty Savior. The freedom to surround yourself with those you love and love you back despite yourself. The freedom to say what you mean and mean what you say without guilt. There's retrospective sadness too. As we draw closer to Him we start to become acutely aware of how different we are from the rest of the world. That sluffing off of self? It sets us apart. And that's hard but healthy.
The last three days of being treated like royalty? That's only a foreshadowing of how God will treat me (and you) in our forever home. Can you picture it? Can you close your eyes and imagine being in His presence? The One who picked each of us as His own. The sheer magnificence of being before the throne. The Lord of Lords. The King of Kings!
So here's to getting older. Here's to getting wiser. Here's to loving more. Fretting less. Here's to healthy family relationships. Here's to Godly marriages and friendships. Here's to celebrating life as if we are going to be in His glorious midst tomorrow.
"But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests,a holy nation, God's very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light."-1 Peter 2:11
