For with you is the fountain of life; in your light we see light. Psalm 36: 9
I am amazed! I just glanced over an article entitled “50 Ways to Look Younger”. All these years have gone by and I didn’t even realize all the things I could have been doing! I could look 20 years younger now if I had only known! But then, I have to admit that I’ve tried a few of them, like using moisturizers, drinking more water, and giving up many of the desserts I love. It really hasn’t made much difference, so I’m not sure the other 47 will either!
What is it with our nation’s current obsession with looking younger and defying the onset of natural aging? In all the ads and articles we see, we are not only promised that our faces and bodies will look younger, but our spirits can be revitalized, renewed, and refreshed, as well, to help us act and feel less than our age.
But sadly, we know the reality is that we could exercise routinely, monitor our diets, do spa treatments, meditate, do yoga, and all the other things that would supposedly relieve the signs of aging, and we probably still wouldn’t be satisfied or content with how we look. We realize that we still could not meet the expectations of the “world” which values youth and vitality.
God wants us to value and take care of our bodies, but we also recognize that He created us with the inevitability of growing older. We realize there is no fountain of youth that we can drink from or any magical solution for aging on this side of heaven. Life goes by quickly, our bodies change, and renewal can only come from Him. When we give Him our hearts and all that we are, He gives us a “fountain of life” that springs forth in our souls. By presenting our body, mind, and spirit to Him as a living sacrifice, we are inviting him to renew and refresh us from the inside out.
He is our life-changing, life-giving resource. He is the fountain from which all of life flows. If we give our hearts to anything else but Him, we lose the opportunity for His Spirit to fill our hearts with His overflowing grace and love. Grace and love that could flow out to others and fill our hearts with all the things that truly make us happy and content.
God is our source of life and light, and only through Him can we see what is true and desirable for all our days on this earth, no matter how many or few there are. John 4: 14 promises “that those who drink from His water will never be thirsty again. His fountain of life will be a fresh, bubbling spring within us, giving us abundant blessings now and forever more.”
May we accept with grace the aging process and be grateful for the gift of each and every day. And may we always be grateful for the renewal and refreshing of our Spirit through Jesus Christ. He is and always will be our source of strength, hope, and life.
Prayer
Our most gracious and loving God, we thank you for being the fountain that flows into our lives with your blessings. We give you all honor, praise, and glory for renewing our bodies and our spirits with your love and compassion. Amen
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