We hear a lot in our world today about personal preference or choice. While it’s true that we do have the ability to make choices in this life, and even our churches teach free will, there are two things we can’t chose: age and death.
Though many of us would love to control it, each day has only 24 hours, and with each passing year, our bodies remind us that we have grown, developed, aged. Plastic surgery, exercise and eating right may make us look younger, but our age remains regulated by time. The number of days and years on this earth since our birth cannot be adjusted, no matter how hard we try.
As age cannot be manipulated, neither can we stop the reality of death. Some may choose to control their end on this earth, but no one can stop the end from coming. Death is certain.
So, why do we care? If we grow old and die, what does it matter what we choose to do with the things we can control in this life?
Because, in our limited days on this planet, we are part of something greater than ourselves, for in each one of us, we have a touch of the eternal — our soul. This means that though our days may be 14 or 84, there are limitless eternities for the soul to experience. Death is inevitable, but it is not the end, and though we have no choice in our age or mortality, the choices we make today will affect them both.
Foolish choices in our teenage years can effect our health later on. An angry word or fit of jealousy can destroy a relationship with a loved one, who would have provided us care as we aged. Being lazy at work as a young adult can lead to poverty in the senior years. We can’t change our age, but we can change what we do with each year we’re granted.
Can you make up for bad choices? There’s one way: Give your life to the One who can restore the years the locusts have eaten (Joel 2:25). While there may still be consequences for poor choices, once we turn to God in Jesus Christ, we can find forgiveness and restoration.
Yet, what about death? If it’s inevitable, then how can our choices matter? That eternity that is in us; it’s going one of two ways — heaven or hell. That’s where our choice comes in, and if Jesus is the only way to heaven, then it’s obvious what makes the difference.
Have you made some bad choices in your life? I have. Yet, I encourage you to know that it’s not the end. You can drastically improve the years ahead and your eternal destiny in one simple choice — chose this day whom you will serve.
Make it Jesus.
Grace and Peace