davidbowerkingwood

Being 78 years old brings advantages and disadvantages. One of the advantages is the wealth of opportunity the years have provided to learn, love and live. I have been blessed a countless number of times by the Lord’s faithfulness to me and I really do rejoice in that.

Time has provided the needed hours to absorb the Bible and use its limitless resources to build a foundation for my life that has withstood the testing’s and tumult the world brings to all believers. I’m also confident by faith that this foundation will hold steady regardless of what the future may bring.

Another advantage is each year brings me closer to the Lord; like most believers I too eagerly await the return of the Lord but age has provided me the assurance that I will not have to wait all that long. Statistically I’m already living on borrowed time; this is the Lord’s doing and I’m truly delighted that my times are in His hands.

One of the disadvantages is the steady process of wearing down; I’m watching as various parts of my body began to develop aches and pains and not function as well as they once did.

To me it is fascinating to watch the process of aging; this is something the Lord has programmed into each of us and it is amazing to behold. Not too long ago I discovered the existence of telomeres. These are found on the ends of chromosomes which are long strands of DNA.

As cells replicate the number of telomeres is reduced and after around 50 replications there are not enough telomeres left to permit the cell further replication and the cell enters a phase called cell senescence and can no longer replicate. This process produces the symptoms of aging.

This life of the cell was involved when the well known Dolly was cloned in 1996; the DNA used to clone Dolly was from a sheep that was 6 years old so Dolly was effectively 6 years old at birth. From what I’ve read the typical lifespan of a sheep is 10 – 12 years so sure enough Dolly lived 6 years and died. Her DNA had survived a normal lifespan of 12 years.

I find it totally fascinating to see how our Creator designed our lifespan into our very DNA; regardless of whatever else we do our life is limited by our own body.

Another thing time has taught me is to totally despise sin; first and foremost the sin within me, and secondly the sin that is in the world. Does this mean I have stopped sinning, sadly no, the sin nature within me has its moments. It may do well to mention the identity of sin; “for whatever is not of faith is sin.” Romans 14:23b

Any sort of fear, fear of circumstances, fear of persons, fear of the economy, fear of job loss, fear of the future all represents walking by sight and not be faith. This is sin. There are of course countless other examples that might be given but this should get the idea across.

This is why I confess my sins to God many times a day; (I John 1:9) I’m a frail creature of dust and I need all the help I can get.

The bottom line on all of this is God has provided all we need to deal with all of these problems and to spend our days, however many may be left, rejoicing in Him and the day He hath made. I can say with complete sincerity that my normal disposition is one of joy and rejoicing in the Lord and I give Him all the glory.