EVERYONE HAS AN EXPIRATION DATE

 

“Seventy years are given to us! Some even live to eighty. But even the best years are filled with pain and trouble; soon they disappear, and we fly away" (Psalm 90:10 NLT).

 

Spending 17 years of my life in the grocery business, especially working for some time in the dairy department, I am very familiar with “expiration dates”. It was crucial that you always “rotated” the item with the oldest date to the front of the shelf. Occasionally an item would get pushed to the back, and forgotten. If the date expired before the sell, then it was useless and ended up in the trash, not fulfilling its purpose. What a waste!

 

As I reflect on the past 62 years of my life, realize that all of us have an expiration date. Statistics tells me that the odds of me living on earth in this body another 62 years is not likely. Somewhere in between there is an expiration date. (I hope saying this doesn’t sound morbid.) The last known person to live close to 124 years is Jeanne Louise Calment. She lived 122 years and 164 days. Her expiration date was August 4, 1997.

 

Today I celebrate my 62^nd birthday. I feel as if I am in the “prime of my life”. Not because of age, but because of the goodness of God. But I am keenly aware that opportunities to help others, while they may increase, time is getting shorter. I desire to make the best of the remainder of my time. There are many lessons I have learned in the past 62 years, but here is a short list of 7 things that are most important to me: 

1. Prayer is the key to everything.
2. Family is priceless.
3. Friends are important.
4. Giving is enjoyable.
5. Daily devotional time is valuable.
6. Being Purpose-driven is motivational.
7. Most importantly, a relationship with Christ is amazing.

So, we all have a shelf life! What will you do with the remainder of our time? 

I have a few things on my “bucket list” that I still desire to accomplish. Some things will be left in the “bucket” when I do “kick the bucket”. However, God has been so good to me! I am truly blessed beyond measure! 

My prayer this morning is that I will serve Him to the fullest, and that I will finish well! I am living as if I have 62 more years to live, but I am determine to serve God as if this is the last day of my life.

Blessings,

Tim Lamb

P.S. Thank you for all my family and friends that have wished me a  “Happy Birthday” today!  God, family, and friends, are the best!!!