Another year! My time in the flesh has amounted to fifty-nine years, today. To some it is young, to others it is old; to those of my own age it is perhaps middle age. It’s difficult to figure out exactly what middle age is. If an individual is middle age at fifty, shouldn’t they live to be a hundred? Determining life expectancy has been a matter of public record over the years. According to the U. S. Department of Health and Human Services, life expectancy in 1900 was 48.2 for a male and 51.1 for a female. That number gradually climbed over the years and by 1960 it reached a whooping 66.6 and 71.1, respectfully. Then, by 1996 the number had grown to 73.0 and 79.0. By 2000 the numbers had risen to 74.1 for males and 79.5 for females. 286,196,812 individuals lived in the U.S. according to the 2000 census. The 2010 census has raised it slightly. Will we make the average?

Whether it is the U. S. Census, or the U. S. Department of Health and Human Services, keeping a close eye on life expectancy, we can see that, though it has fluctuated from time to time, it hasn’t changed much for thousands of years. In the book of Psalms (90:10), a psalm attributed to "Moses the man of God", says, "The days of our years are threescore years and ten, or even by reason of strength fourscore years." A score is 20 years, thus the days of our years are sixty years and ten, or even by reason of strength eighty years. Hasn’t changed much, has it?

All that being said, it is evident that life is short. Whether we live eighty years or eighty seconds, the same comes to us all, "And inasmuch as it is appointed unto men once to die, and after this cometh judgment" (Hebrews 9:27). David, King of Israel, petitioned Jehovah, and said, "Jehovah, make me know mine end, and the measure of my days, what it is; let me know how frail I am. Behold, thou hast made my days as handbreadths; and my life-time is as nothing before thee: surely every man at his best estate is altogether vanity" (Psalms 39:4-5). We all live with knowledge that we will one day die, yet we all live with the hope that we have one more day. The day of death is a day over which no man has power. Neither wealth, fame, power nor ingenuity will be able to overcome the day of death. Solomon, King of Israel, said, "There is no man that hath power over the spirit to retain the spirit: neither hath he power over the day of death…" (Ecclesiastes 8:8). The truth of that statement is reiterated on a daily basis.

There are only two approaches we can have to life: we either view our existence as purely mortal, or we view our existence as being physical and spiritual. If you choose the mortal option, one, you better be right then, as the apostle Paul said, "If the dead are not raised, let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die." (1 Corinthians 15:32). If, on the other hand, you choose the dual nature of man, then the words of Job ring loud, when he said, "And after my skin, even this body, is destroyed, then without my flesh shall I see God" (Job 19:26). Choosing the latter should bring us to the point of asking ourselves, "Where will I be in relation to my condition before God?" Job was confident that he would be well received, for he said, "Whom I, even I, shall see, on my side, and mine eyes shall behold, and not as a stranger" (Ibid., vs. 27). On the other hand, Jesus revealed that "Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father who is in heaven" (Matthew 7:21). The basic criteria is pretty simple, "And Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons: but in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is acceptable to him" (Acts 10:34-35). Righteousness is a standard by which an individual lives. But it is not just any standard. As the apostle of Jesus Christ, Paul identified the condition of his countrymen when, he said, "For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. For being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and seeking to establish their own, they did not subject themselves to the righteousness of God" (Romans 10:2-3). If we are ignorant of God’s righteousness, we will not be able to affirm the position that we are acceptable to Him. Jesus "said to those Jews that had believed him, If you abide in my word, then are ye truly my disciples; and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free" (John 8:31-32). There is no freedom without truth. Truth is found in Jesus and accomplishes its work when we abide in it. In addition, the apostle Peter said, "And in none other is there salvation: for neither is there any other name under heaven, that is given among men, wherein we must be saved" (Acts 4:12). Jehovah has warned us that the earth has "been stored up for fire, being reserved against the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men" and that day "will come as a thief" (2 Peter 3:7, 10). Even if we beat the average, we will one day die. So, what do we do? That question is also answered in the scriptures: "And Peter said unto them, Repent ye, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ unto the remission of your sins; and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit" (Acts 2:38). That gift is salvation. Those therefore, who have "turned unto God from idols, to serve a living and true God, and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, who delivereth us from the wrath to come" (1 Thessalonians 1:9-10), will be found acceptable to God. What provisions have you made for life and eternity?