Psalm 92:12-15, The righteous will flourish like a palm tree, they will grow like a cedar of Lebanon; planted in the house of the LORD, they will flourish in the courts of our God. They will still bear fruit in old age, they will stay fresh & green, proclaiming, 'The LORD is upright, He is my rock, and there is no wickedness in him."
Proverbs 4:18, "The path of righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, shinning ever brighter till the full light of day."
I turn 30 years old in less than a month. I know I am still barely an adult, but I'm almost the age Jesus was when He started His public ministry. It's kind of interesting to notice how people change as they get older. I promise you I have a few new gray hairs every week. I'm on my way to a white head of hair by the age of 40. I'm cool with that. It's much better than going bald. I've also noticed that it gets harder to stay in shape and things start to sag. Maybe not at 30, but you get the idea.
Here is the other thing I'm evaluating with my life as I turn into a new decade. People don't always age well when it comes to their character. Many people flame out or have a moral failing in their 30's. They live with passion in their 20's, but then they lose heart. The trials, disappointments, and failures of life begin to produce bitterness and selfishness. Ahh, I hate that.
Increasing love for God is not guaranteed. I deeply desire to live a life that is marked with increasing radiance. I want to live a life that grows in impact and fruitfulness. I'm committed to finishing this next decade strong. I want to be running harder after Christ on the day I turn 40. I want to be more holy, a better leader, a more intentional father, and a more selfless husband as the days, years and decades turn. I want to stay fresh and green, I wanted be planted in the house of the Lord and flourish with Him as my source of life.
You have to fight for the life God is asking you to live my friend. You will not drift to His best for your life. It's going to require lots of repentance, lots of soul searching, and hard running after Him. You will fall at times, but the beauty is that God has His eye on you. He sees your heart. If you make Him the passion of your soul, He will make you live with increasing favor, increasing radiance and increasing fruitfulness.
