The Speed of Life!

Life moves so fast, doesn’t it? I am reminded of comedian George Carlin's humorous insight about the speed of aging.

Do you realize that the only time in our lives when we like to get old is when we’re kids? If you’re less than 10 years old, you’re so excited about aging that you think in fractions.

“How old are you?” “I’m four and a half!” You’re never thirty-six and a half. You’re four and a half, going on five! That’s the key.

You get into your teens, now they can’t hold you back. You jump to the next number, or even a few ahead.

“How old are you?” “I’m gonna be 16!” You could be 13, but hey, you’re gonna be 16! And then the greatest day of your life. You become 21. Even the words sound like a ceremony: YOU BECOME 21. YESSSS!!!

But then you turn 30. Oooohh, what happened there? Makes you sound like bad milk! He TURNED; we had to throw him out. There’s no fun now, you’re just a sour-dumpling. What’s wrong? What’s changed?

You BECOME 21, you TURN 30, then you’re PUSHING 40. Whoa! Put on the brakes, it’s all slipping away. Before you know it, you REACH 50 and your dreams are gone.

But wait!!! You MAKE it to 60. You didn’t think you would!

So you BECOME 21, TURN 30, PUSH 40, REACH 50 and MAKE IT to 60.

You’ve built up so much speed that you HIT 70! After that it’s a day-by-day thing: you hit Wednesday!

You get into your 80’s and every day is a complete cycle; you HIT lunch; you REACH bedtime. And it doesn’t end there. Into the 90s, you start going backwards; “I was just 92.”

Then a strange thing happens. If you make it over 100, you become a little kid again. “I’m 100 and a half!”

May you make it to a healthy 100 and a half!

The Bible asks us a memorable question, “What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes” (James 4:14). If we let it, life will quickly pass us by, leaving us to wonder, “Where did the years go?” Instead, we need to make deliberate choices, investing our lives for the Kingdom of God. We can spend our lives chasing after things that won’t last past our lifetime: money, success, fame, etc. Or we can invest our lives in what will last into eternity: a relationship with Jesus Christ, sharing the Good News of His salvation with others, etc. Jesus sums it all up by instructing us, “…seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well” (Matthew 6:33).

As I urged you in last week’s letter, don’t live your life haphazardly; don’t squander it carelessly. Instead, be strategic in how you live. Live by God’s priorities. Let’s invest our lives fully and wisely for Christ!

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This Sunday, May 4, we will continue our new teaching series, “One Month to Live!” What if you knew you only had 30 days to live? What choices would you make? This Sunday? Live Passionately! Please invite someone to join you in the building or online for the Live broadcast on either Facebook (Honolulu AG) or our YouTube channel (Honolulu Assembly of God). We Livestream every Sunday to both locations and would love to have you join us.

Coming Up: This Saturday, May 3, is our next “Drive-Through Prayer” outreach in the church parking lot from 11am-1pm.  Do you have “Something to Say”? All women and children are invited to a special potluck Lunch on Saturday, May 10, at 11:30am. Bring a friend or two and something delicious to add to the table.  We will celebrate all Moms with a gift on May 11, Mother’s Day. My wife Shirley will be our very special speaker that day. * Pentecost Sunday is coming up June 8 and we will celebrate the outpouring of the Holy Spirit at the birth of the church (Acts 2). Please don’t miss it.

Aloha ke Akua!