TODAY IN THE WORD
Dr. Kenneth Cooper, whose development of the program called aerobics won him worldwide fame, says life expectancy has grown dramatically over the past six decades. Cooper notes that although a child born in 1935 had a life expectancy of just 61.7 years, that figure has risen to almost 77 years today.

This increase in life span could cause some people to expect that someday, a 'miracle cure' for aging will be found and a lot of research is being dedicated to this. But God's Word never encourages His people to hang their ultimate hopes on the best the world can come up with. There is no denying the reality that life is short in comparison to eternity.

That's why we included today's passage in our seasons of faith study. It's a way of affirming that merely adding years to our lives is not really the point of it all. What matters is our relationship to the God whose years will never end.

For those of us who know the Lord as Savior, the assurance of the Bible is that we live every day in the presence and power of our eternal, unchangeable Father. Let's celebrate His promise and His strength together today.

It's interesting that the psalmist began this section with an honest admission that life is short, and sometimes painful. He even recognized that God had permitted the unnamed problem that made the writer feel as if his life were being cut short.

Despite his complaint, however, this anonymous believer knew where to go for help. He prayed for added days, a perfectly legitimate request. And to strengthen his prayer, the writer acknowledged that he was addressing the God whose eternal nature was in complete contrast to His creation.

This is a prayer of confidence, in spite of the writer's immediate circumstances. He is expressing his assurance that God is able to deal with his need. The length of our lives is not as important as their focus. In God's hands, we are safe forever.

Because the psalmist knew God would never change, he could look ahead and praise Him for His care of generations still to be born. An older believer who lives in this daily awareness of God's presence, and who can look at the future confidently, doesn't have to worry about a miracle cure for aging!

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TODAY ALONG THE WAY
As Christians we should be living with a deep sense of daily expectancy because with God, there are no wasted days.

You can have this attitude no matter what your age or season of faith. We're not talking about 'a miracle a day to keep the devil away,' but a sensitivity to the Holy Spirit's direction and a willingness to let God use us in any way He chooses. Would God have to compete for your time and attention today if He wanted to use you? It's a question worth thinking about.

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