Bible Verses About Dying Young

For some reason, the title of this post is a very frequent search phrase that comes to my blog. Certainly, that has to do with me linking to Shannon Young's blog. Even still, it seems there are a lot of people on this world wide web, that are searching for what the Bible says about dying at a young age.

I can't imagine what a person that searched for that is going through. Perhaps they are looking for comfort for a friend or family member that was lost, or perhaps there is a terminal disease that they are faced with. I can't imagine going through something like that.

What does the Bible say about it? Paul desired to be absent with the body and present with the Lord, and even though he wasn't a young man, that thought can through. Oh, how awesome it would be for a young person to be so fixed on Christ that he wasn't concerned about the life of this body, but just desired to be present with the Lord!

What advice is there about dying young? I am reminded of a quote by Jim Elliot (Missionary to Ecuador that was murdered by the people he was trying to reach at age 28), when writing in his journal during college: "Consume my life, my God, for it is Thine. I seek not a long life, but a full one, like you, Lord Jesus."

Jesus died at an age younger than He should have. I am 32 this year... that means, next year I will be the age that tradition records that Jesus was when He died. (A though for another day: Will I have accomplished as much as He did when I get to be His age?!) Jesus had a full life, but not a long life.

Just a thought...

Stupid Bird

Proverbs 1:17 Surely in vain the net is spread in the sight of any bird.

I used to really have no idea what the point of that verse was in the middle of Proverbs. It is right in between the sections that warn the reader to avoid hanging with bad people, and the part that says that these bad people will get their reward.

Then finally I think I figured it out. The net, is the warning that is given, that God will judge sin. If you fellowship with those enticing sinners, then you're going to end up getting in trouble. The warning is put out there, right in front of you! There is a trap - a net, if you will - that is laid. But if the net is set out right in front of you, then it shouldn't work, right? You should just fly right around it, right? It's vain to set the net while the bird is watching.

But, you know what, I'm afraid that this world is full of stupid birds. The trap is set; it is even set right in front of our eyes, but we still fly right into it. My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not - they lay wait for their own blood.

Don't be a stupid bird.

Just an aviary thought...

Dehumidifier

Hello, again, everyone, it has been a while - where have you all been?! :)

So, my wife decided that she wants to move into a house that will give us some more space. It doesn't matter that she's 8 1/2 months pregnant, or that since we're selling our house, people will be coming by to see it - while my parents and brother & family are in town staying with us... but, anyway, that's what's going on in my life right now.

Our basement... ok, Our cellar... because of the location of our house, kind of on top of a hill, has never had a problem with water getting into it. We have a sump pump, but it is sitting on a shelf down there. Well, even though water doesn't run into our basement, the basement always seems to be a damp place. I wish I were more like my basement...

Today's Thought, which I think may be tied into my inconsistency with blogging, has to do with dryness. I have been going through a dry spell in my life in regards to spiritual matters. I am still active in ministry; I still am performing all the duties that I have committed to; but, my intimacy with my God, my abiding in Christ, my praying without ceasing - has been very dry of late. What is it?! Why do these times keep coming up?! O wretched man that I am!

Taking the principle found at the end of Romans 7, where Paul asks: "who shall deliver me from the body of this death," and we know his answer: "through Jesus Christ our Lord." However, the problem that I have constantly, the typical Laodicea problem, is that I think I am fine. I think I can handle life all by myself. Things are going great, and I think that it is not that important to rely on and communicate with God as much.

Oh wretched man that I am!

I am praying that I will sanctify the Lord better in my heart, and as a result, hopefully I will have more thoughts to post on here. If not... would you pray for me? Seems a strange post to make here, but that's where I'm at.

Oh wretched man that I am, but Oh, what a merciful God He is.

Just a thought...