Birthday

I’m 70 today. Used to be described as “a good age”. Now I’m told “70 is the new 50”. I can remember a couple of phrases popular with young people some years ago – I’ve become a member of that elite company of “coffin dodgers”. I’ve become one of the “wrinklies”.

But whatever is said about age, 70 years old is a milestone. The NLT version of the Bible puts Psalm 90:10 as this. “Seventy years are given to us! Some even live to eighty. But even the best years are filled with pain and trouble; soon they disappear, and we fly away.”

In isolation, this verse seems negative and even a bit cynical. But it is in the middle of a Psalm which compares the omnipotence, majesty, and security of God with our frailty. But then moves on to verses 13-17. Verse 14 , “Satisfy us each morning with your unfailing love, so we may sing for joy to the end of our lives.” and verses 15-17, “Give us gladness in proportion to our former misery! Replace the evil years with good. Let us, your servants, see you work again; let our children see your glory. And may the Lord our God show us his approval and make our efforts successful. Yes, make our efforts successful!”

So I thank God today for the years He has given me. I thank God for His love and provision.  I thank God for my wife, children and grandchildren. For my friends, and especially those who have cared enough about me to share their lives with me. And I look forward to fruitful years to come, full of the knowledge of His “unfailing love” and “joy”.