Birthday. Again.

Two days ago was birthday #52. I know, that’s very young. “Fifty is the new forty” they say, except they forgot to tell my lower spine! Oh well, fifty two years of experience and repeated mistakes! Birthday gifts? I did receive a new Harley Davidson T-shirt. Well, sort of. I chose it, purchased it and wore it for a month, but nevertheless it was washed, wrapped and presented to me last Saturday by my wife who always despairs of finding gifts for the “man who has everything!” Happy days indeed.

A few birthdays back I received a copy of Steve Jobs’ biography. It is a rather large book but as I started to read, I became increasingly uneasy. Steve Jobs, genius, visionary, world changer, died as a fool. It seemed he lived a completely selfish life, and worse still, he was unprepared for the coming judgment and afterlife. What does it matter if you die a billionaire and miss Heaven?

But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided? (Luke 12:20)

Friend, only a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, the Creator God and Saviour from sin, gives any true meaning to life. It doesn’t matter how much success or greatness or education you have attained. It doesn’t matter how many years of life on planet Earth you have survived. Without Jesus, there is no life.

“For birthdays are mere records of time, not registers of distance. They tell me how long I have been on the road, not how far I have travelled.” (FW Boreham)

Travelling life’s road with Jesus as Saviour is the only way to avoid being a fool for eternity.

 

A NOTE FROM GREAT GRANDMA

We recently came across a note from my great grandmother, handwritten eighty years ago. It was penned shortly before her untimely death in 1934. It is wonderful read.

“She hath done what she could.

After all these weary years of suffering and pain, I often sit and wonder why my dear loving Saviour has called on me to suffer so much when I loved His work and service more than I can tell. If my bodily strength would have lasted out, I would still love to be doing His glorious work and winning precious souls for His kingdom. If anyone should pick up this note of warning, lose no time in doing all that lays in your power for the extension of His kingdom.

I fully realise I have many opportunities of doing service for Him that has done so much for me. Just at this moment I plead with my loving Saviour to forgive my wrong doing, and help me to complete my life’s work by being patient in suffering, and may I prove to be a greater power for good than ever before.

Teach me dear Lord to say from my heart, “Thy will be done”, from this quiet Sunday evening. It is the time I get a clearer vision of my loving Saviour, when all is quiet and peaceful. I am just thinking of Thee who has gone to prepare that beautiful mansion for me. I must be prepared to enter when the call comes. It will come soon. I know not what awaits me. God kindly veils my eyes.

I do not want to leave anything undone for Thee. I may have quite enough with a suffering body. From this night I believe all the past sins of my life are to be remembered against me no more for ever. Praise His name for such a wonderful promise as this. I claim it for my real self. I trust in His redeeming love. I feel He is so precious to me.”

Ellen Ann Goy
Born 1870 England
Died 1934 Penshurst NSW