Well, today is the day. The Lord has granted me 25 years. And as I'm sitting here sipping on a glass of Laphroaig 10 year, I'm contemplating where I am now after these years.
I'm reminded, first, of the graciousness of God. He has been so gracious to me over these past 25 years. He blessed me to be born into the family of parents who believe that Jesus Christ is the only way for salvation. He is our only hope for redemption. He has been gracious to provide me siblings to encourage me, challenge me, and love me. He has blessed me time and time again with faithful brothers and sisters in Christ to sharpen me and encourage me in the faith. He has granted me the opportunity to go to college and pursue multiple degrees. He blessed me with the opportunity to go to Germany for 6 months. He has blessed me with a great job with wonderful coworkers and bosses. And beyond all of this, all of these material blessings, the Lord has granted me faith in Jesus Christ the righteous. The Savior of sinners.
Another thing I'm reminded of is the faithfulness of God. There have been many times over these years that I have been unfaithful to Him, but He has always been faithful to me. While I was finishing my master's degree, there was a long time where I did not have results that depicted the theory that I claimed. I knew in my heart that if I presented the results I had at my defense, I would be lying. This was on my mind daily. I did not want to lie and, sadly, I did not want to tell the truth that my theory wasn't matching my results. This was a great point of prayer for me for the whole summer. Two weeks before the end of my master's degree, the Lord granted me results which matched the theory in my research. Thanks be to God! What great mercy and faithfulness He showed me in the answering of my prayers. Again, He was also faithful in providing me a good job that doesn't require me to work 60-70 hours per week. Most of all, He has been faithful to forgive me of sin and to grant me continued faith in His promises. Over my 25 years, there have been many things I've struggled with. Up until the end of my teenage years, I struggled with anger. It is still something I have to be on guard against lest I fall. I have struggled with comparing myself to my siblings and their accomplishments. I have struggled with lust. And these are only a few of the sins I've struggled with. However, in the midst of my sin, I remember that it has been paid for by the blood of Christ. His righteousness has become my own. I also know that I will not struggle with these sins forever; for God is faithful to complete the work He has began in me (Philippians 1:6).
I'm also reminded of the wrath of God. Just as real as the love of God is, so is His wrath against sin. The Lord hates sin. The Lord will not leave the guilty unpunished (Exodus 34:6-7). If you do not confess your sins before the Lord (in other words, say the same things about your sin that God says about your sin) and look to Christ as your Savior, you will pay the penalty for your sins in Hell. There is no other way by which we can be rescued from the punishment we deserve.
Friends, if I could offer up one thought for you all, it is this: I pray that those of you who claim to be believers in Christ that you would examine you're own salvation with fear and trembling (Philippians 2:12) because there are many who will call on the name of the Lord on judgment day to whom He will tell to depart from him because he never knew them (Matthew 7:21-23). My heart breaks because there are those I know from childhood who would claim to be believers who have no desire to pursue Christ. Also for those of you who openly do not believe in Christ, I pray that you would consider the purpose of life. I pray that you would see there is no job or education or success that will earn you eternity with God. There is no one who does good, not even one (Psalm 14:3, Psalm 53:3, Romans 3:12). All are deserving of hell and punishment, and the Lord's wrath will fall on the unrighteous. But there is one, Jesus Christ the Righteous, who bore the sins of His people. The past, present, and future sins of His people are paid for. They are nailed to the cross (Colossians 2:13-14). Christ's perfect righteousness has become the righteousness of His people.
There is more to life than getting a job, a wife, a family, and accumulating possessions. And that "more" is found in Jesus Christ. For there is no other name under heaven by which we can be saved (Acts 4:12).
Thanks be to God for the days He has given me, and may the rest of my days be spent giving glory to His great name. For He alone is worthy.
Sláinte.
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