The Length of Life God Ordains

Even though Solomon seemed to lament the life that God had given to him, still his writings can shape our perspective about seeking meaning and purpose in our lives.  He writes in chapter 9 of the book of Ecclesiastes:
9Live joyfully with the wife whom you love all the days of your vain life which He has given you under the sun, all your days of vanity; for that is your portion in life, and in the labor which you perform under the sun.10Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might; for there is no work or device or knowledge or wisdom in the grave where you are going.11I returned and saw under the sun that-- The race is not to the swift, Nor the battle to the strong, Nor bread to the wise, Nor riches to men of understanding, Nor favor to men of skill; But time and chance happen to them all.12For man also does not know his time...

A pretty mundane view of life, for sure, but consider what the writer is saying.  This is a man who had known Godly wisdom, but had refused to walk in it as his life progressed.   I think we can be reinforced in several ideas from this passage: 1) God wants us to be joyful 2) He wants us to realize our purpose 3) This earth is not all there is.   What we experience on this earth does not compare with what God has in store for those who know Jesus Christ.   So, we live our lives here with a heavenly mindset, realizing we are citizens of a heavenly kingdom, with an assignment to glorify Him on earth.

In Psalm 90, even though the writer is chafing somewhat under the burdens of life, still he trusts the Lord in the days that have been appointed for him:
12So teach us to number our days, That we may gain a heart of wisdom.13Return, O Lord! How long? And have compassion on Your servants.14Oh, satisfy us early with Your mercy, That we may rejoice and be glad all our days!15Make us glad according to the days in which You have afflicted us, The years in which we have seen evil.16Let Your work appear to Your servants, And Your glory to their children.17And let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us, And establish the work of our hands for us; Yes, establish the work of our hands.

Recently, The Atlantic published an article called, "Why I Hope to Die by 75."  This would be a startling headline and accompanying premise, for sure, but when you consider that it was written by one of the architects of the Affordable Care Act, this becomes a rather chilling view.

Cheryl Magness, on The Federalist website, writes regarding the article by Dr. Ezekiel Emanuel that:

In it, Emanuel outlines his reasons for deciding he will no longer accept most kinds of medical treatment when he reaches age 75. Chief among those reasons is his conclusion that once someone starts to slow down in his mind and body the value of his life begins to decrease, along with the motivation for prolonging it. It is a tragically utilitarian view of life that equates worth with productivity.

As she points out, there are those who have refuted his contention by using examples of people who have been productive and accomplished great things after age 75.  But, she points out that, "...those who attempt to refute Emanuel’s argument by providing counter-examples to some extent buy into his premise that worth comes from accomplishment and overlook the truth that sometimes the greatest contribution one can make is that borne of weakness."

In her analysis, she talks about this reversal that occurs during the course of life:

During those 18 or so years that parents directly oversee and guide their children’s lives, the parents benefit as much as the children, by virtue of being so deeply needed by one who is weaker.

As we age the same thing happens again, but in reverse. The children who were once cared for become the ones who care for their parents. And as they do so, they get another chance to grow in compassion, responsibility, care, and selflessness.

Magness discusses the care that she is giving to her mother, who is in her 80's, and the humility that comes from the opportunity to serve her and to grow through that interaction.

So what do you think about putting a "time certain" stamp on life?  One of my first thoughts is that our times are in God's hands, and ultimately He determines the length of our lives.  People live for a variety of time periods.  For those who are fortunate to enter our 70's or 80's, or even 90's or beyond, you can give God the glory for the opportunity that He has given to glorify Him on the earth. And, I think that even into what have come to be known as the retirement years, there are still abundant opportunities to serve the Lord and to make a difference in the lives of others.

But, productivity does not equate to value.   We can seek to be productive even into our later years, but even those who may not necessarily be what society deems to be productive have worth - because they are a creation of God.   And, because God's ways, which are higher than our own, are at work, teaching us virtues through those who may not be as mobile or mentally sharp as they used to be. There are the incredible lessons of experience that are contained within the minds of those who are entering their latter years, and we do well to draw on that experience.

When it comes to age, we can develop a recognition of God's hand on us, even when we grow older.   While there are differing views about what measures should be taken to sustain life, we also have to be aware that He is still at work, performing His plan.  And, while some may want to hurry to enter our eternal home in glory, there is a purpose for our existence on earth.