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Life Begins at 100!

Words of Faith Final

Life Begins at 100!
Words of Faith 5-4-2022
Dr. Jeffrey D. Hoy © 2022
Jeff.Hoy@faithfellowshipweb.com
Faith Fellowship Church - Melbourne, FL    
www.faithfellowshipweb.com
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Genesis 25
    Abraham took another wife, whose name was Keturah. [2] She bore him Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak and Shuah. [3] Jokshan was the father of Sheba and Dedan; the descendants of Dedan were the Asshurites, the Letushites and the Leummites. [4] The sons of Midian were Ephah, Epher, Hanoch, Abida and Eldaah. All these were descendants of Keturah.
    [5] Abraham left everything he owned to Isaac. [6] But while he was still living, he gave gifts to the sons of his concubines and sent them away from his son Isaac to the land of the east.
    [7] Altogether, Abraham lived a hundred and seventy-five years. [8] Then Abraham breathed his last and died at a good old age, an old man and full of years; and he was gathered to his people. [9] His sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him in the cave of Machpelah near Mamre, in the field of Ephron son of Zohar the Hittite, [10] the field Abraham had bought from the Hittites. There Abraham was buried with his wife Sarah. [11] After Abraham's death, God blessed his son Isaac, who then lived near Beer Lahai Roi.

        The new thing in America is called the "quarter-life crisis." Many young people feel that they are somehow washed up if they have not "made it" by age 25. I wonder what Abraham would have said about any of our "life crises" identified by decade points less than 100?
        At the age of 100 and 90, Abraham and Sarah were just starting a family! Sarah died when Abraham was 138, and he was deeply grieved. Yet somehow, he experienced a complete rejuvenation after her death! Abraham took another wife that we do not hear much about. Her name was Keturah. Over the next 37 years, Keturah bore six more children for Abraham! And there were grandchildren as well!  
        Abraham fathered other sons by concubines. Abraham was gracious to these children, giving them generous gifts even though they did not share in Isaac's inheritance. It was a remarkable picture to see Ishmael return to share in his father's burial in the cave where Sarah had been placed. Abraham finally died after an adventure that spanned 175 years!   It was a good thing he didn't call it quits at 90!  
         Do you ever wonder just how many years the Lord will give you? Maybe you envision 80 or 90, or maybe 100. Remarkably, Abraham was just getting started with his family at 100 and had another family after he was 138! Some suggest that these numbers are symbolic or exaggerated.   But others point out that an average human life span, without disease or environmental damage, could be about 130. Why not 175? Especially before many of the lifestyle illnesses that plague us began to arise. Is anything too difficult for the Lord?
         The point is not to plan out what we will do in the decades after we are 120. The point is to know that the Lord is the God of life! He is the One who will decide when we live and die. He is the One who will determine how long we will live. He is the One who will determine when our mission is accomplished. He may call us home today or have us here beyond 100 years.  
         God had much for Abraham to do. Abraham was deeply grieved when Sarah died, yet the Lord brought Keturah into his life! There was another adventure ahead. More Kindergarten presentations and High School graduations! The truth is that life is a remarkable adventure, and we never know when God may call us to something new!
          Is God calling you to something new? I am not talking about dreaming up something new or novel. I am talking about listening to the Lord. Maybe it is a new career or field of service? Perhaps it is a new mission or destination? Maybe a unique expression or art form. Abraham would tell you that life just gets started at 100 and then gets really exciting after 140! Isn't it funny that we let our culture tell us just the opposite! That after a certain number ending in zero, we are washed up? Not in God's plan.
          Are you discouraged by a culture that attaches a particular declining value to age? In God's plan, there is increasing value with age! He has us here, and that tells us that He is not done with us yet. Rejoice in knowing that the Lord is God. He is not done. Seek Him and His plan for the next segment of life.

          Lord, I am excited to serve You. I reject the evaluations of the culture around me. I want only Your evaluation. I want only Your plan. Lead me and I will follow. In Jesus' name.

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© Jeffrey D. Hoy 2022
Dr. Jeffrey D. Hoy - Faith Fellowship Church (EFCA)        
2820 Business Center Blvd.
Melbourne, Florida 32940 (321)-259-7200
Jeff.Hoy@faithfellowshipweb.com
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The Words of Faith devotion is published five days a week by E-mail, excluding Federal holidays. Please feel free to forward this devotion to a friend who might be blessed by this devotion. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture is quoted from the New International Version (R) of The Holy Bible. Copyright (c) 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved. Words of Faith (c) 1997, 2022 Jeffrey D. Hoy. All rights reserved. Permission is granted to forward this copyrighted material or use portions of it with appropriate notation of the source for non-profit purposes.