I was asked a fun question!
I am a little different, for sure, based on the stories I’ve been told. I must and will attribute that difference to moments like this, where I’ve awakened to the awareness of God’s presence in my room, to the awareness of my spirit while still here, in my flesh, to this temporal shell and of my eternal being.
I cannot help but give the glory to our God. I have been spared so much of what I have heard comes with our 40s to 60s. I am now in my own 60s.
I think, I very speculate that having my two younger sons later in life has blessed my thinking (they keep one healthy while attempting to keep up with them!) but am certain, too, God has done something… …additionally… …for His own reason.
I have friends my age, believers at different levels of their walks that have experienced challenges I have not. Though I am certain such will come at some point, they have not.
I attribute some of that to the quote, “I have done what others would not so that I may continue to do what others no longer can.”
The Word has been true and faithful where no others have. We, you and I, and others, have simply ‘picked up where we left off’ in our conversations through the years because of a sense of the eternal. I am certain of it. Each time we speak, it is as if we only continue where we left off over coffee this morning. It is the investment in the eternal that I speculate added something to the external. Again, though, I speculate.
We are eternals, then, are we not? A moment, a month, a year, and a decade, are only coffee laced earthy vapors mingling with the poignant leather binding of my journal.
“Just as we were made like the man of earth, so we will also be made like the man of heaven. I tell you this, brothers and sisters: Flesh and blood cannot have a part in the kingdom of God. Something that will ruin cannot have a part in something that never ruins. But look! I tell you this secret: We will not all sleep in death, but we will all be changed. It will take only a second–as quickly as an eye blinks–when the last trumpet sounds. The trumpet will sound, and those who have died will be raised to live forever, and we will all be changed. This body that can be destroyed must clothe itself with something that can never be destroyed. And this body that dies must clothe itself with something that can never die. So this body that can be destroyed will clothe itself with that which can never be destroyed, and this body that dies will clothe itself with that which can never die. When this happens, this Scripture will be made true:
“Death is destroyed forever in victory.” – Isaiah 25:8
“Death, where is your victory? Death, where is your pain?” – Hosea 13:14
Death’s power to hurt is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But we thank God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
So my dear brothers and sisters, stand strong.
Do not let anything move you.
Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your work in the Lord is never wasted.” – 1 Corinthians 15:49-58
Herein lies the answer to the question, then. I have learned to give myself fully, to the very emptying of my cup, to the work of the Lord.
There is this unique, nearly euphoric and enveloping sense of fulfillment that seems to whisper itself into the flesh an invigoration and enthusiasm that I sense has come from participating in that which “is never wasted.”
“Honor your father and your mother so that you will live a long time in the land that the LORD your God is going to give you.” – Exodus 20:12
Then, there’s this one, the one that may not be just about our relationship with our flesh and blood parents but also about others who are in leadership roles in our lives. Romans 13:1-7 even takes this to the ‘government’ level of our lives.
There are thoughts I have never dwelt on because the leaders of my youth taught me to honor my parents, even though they knew that among may ‘parents’ were those who had made very vile and violent choices. There are thoughts I have never chosen to think about my leaders (Wait, except two!! but those are other stories about which I had to go to the woodshed a time or two… ;) I once wanted to take a baseball bat to someone’s temple! A very dear pastor shared with me Romans 16:19, saying “You do NOT want to know why they did what they did to you. You would not longer be innocent.” and after much prayerful consideration, I determined to remain ‘innocent in what is evil.’ It worked!)
The ‘honor’, I was taught, was not given for the benefit of those receiving it. (They were instructed to give it to God, remember?), it was for the one givng it. It was the first commandment with a ‘promise’ to ‘live a long time’ and I have certainly lived longer than I thought I would!
A determination to remain focused on Philippians 4:4-9 throughout challenging times and to know Isaiah 46:3-4 were for me, too.
I was not going to write this much, but the Lord put you on my heart and asked me to share a few details and verses with you. I really hope this helps you find your own ‘long time’ with the Lord. He has so watched over me for as long as I have known Him.
The answer to the question, is “Yes” God does still speak to us individually, to our spirit within our flesh, and He especially listens to us as individuals. I hear His voice as a whisper and as a wind, not because I seek either of those, though, simply because I seek Him through His Word and through prayer.
Jesus is real.
Jesus is Lord of my life. (He has the final say…)
He would like to be lord of your life as well.
As my favorite pastor in the whole wide world once said, “God is a gentleman. He will never force Himself on you. He loves you. He pursues you. He waits for you.”
You have but to ask…
