Young and Old and Middle

The two periods of life in which people are more likely to draw near to Jesus are in youth and in old age. A child is looking for purpose and fullness. An old man or woman is looking for safety from death. What about all of the life between those bookends that could be full? When we feel invincible, and therefore have no fear of death, and when we have gotten jobs and can buy our own toys, we wander away from Jesus.

In contrast to what’s next regarding life – after our flesh dies – all of this life is the same. It either fits in the category of death, or the category of life. Before we are born of God, it is just death. After that, it can become life, but we frequently grasp so heartily at the things of earth that all we have is death even after life becomes accessible.

Therefore we were buried with Him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too may walk in a new way of life. For if we have been joined with Him in the likeness of His death, we will certainly also be in the likeness of His resurrection. For we know that our old self was crucified with Him in order that sin’s dominion over the body may be abolished, so that we may no longer be enslaved to sin, since a person who has died is freed from sin’s claims. Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with Him, because we know that Christ, having been raised from the dead, no longer dies. Death no longer rules over Him. For in that He died, He died to sin once for all; but in that He lives, He lives to God. So, you too consider yourselves dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus.

(Romans 6:4-11 Holman Christian Standard Bible ®©)