Take some time out this week

 

Some people have good physical and mental health well into old age, but we are all different, and for many, these latter years can be a struggle. However, there are some advantages to growing older. I am writing to highlight these benefits to the individual and the wider society. 

Time to Think

In our busy lives, deep reflection often takes a backseat but taking time to think is crucial for effective decision-making, and certain jobs naturally provide more time for contemplation, such as those that involve long-distance travel.

Unfortunately, some people choose to avoid deep thinking about life and continually focus on the day-to-day grind. The Bible encourages both the young and old to consider life’s deeper issues. The wise sage Solomon wrote, "Remember now thy creator in the days of thy youth," and Paul the Apostle said, "Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, the offspring of David, as preached in my gospel," Thinking is not wasted time if it leads to wise decisions and positive actions.

If you have not considered "the God question" or the afterlife, now may be the time to reflect on these matters before it's too late.

Life's Big Questions

 

We often ask questions like: Where did we come from in terms of the origin of life? Why is there so much evil in the world? Why can’t we ever seem to find peace? The answers to these big questions can be found in the book of Genesis in the Bible.

Genesis tells the story of our world—God's perfect creation, humanity's rebellion against Him, and the downward spiral that followed. The first book of the Bible describes significant social disruption, domestic abuse, and problems that regrettably have become normalized in our society. It recounts the first murder, lying, scamming, gang wars, riots, and other issues that bring us face-to-face with dysfunctional families and siblings betraying one another. Effectively, it portrays a society remarkably similar to ours, a world filled with selfishness. One major question arises: How did the world spiral out of control so quickly? The answer is later found in the holy scriptures: "Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned" (Romans 5:12, Legacy Standard Bible).

Hate and it"s consequences

 

You don’t wonder at the deep shock and sadness, even outrage and horror, that gripped our nation when the awful riots and destruction took place, which affected many parts of our country recently. The attack and cruel murder of little girls in Southport caused bitter grief and many tears to those who were affected and to many of us, far and near, who felt the tragedy of it. How unbelievable it is that such grief was overtaken by rioting and senseless destruction fuelled by misinformation and lies spread by peddlers of hate.

 

Wider society had to pay a high price for the wickedness of others. Controlling it and then cleaning up the mess used resources that could have benefitted the society that is still suffering in many places.

 

Hatred is volatile and unpredictable. You have probably seen it yourself. It can lead to so much damage and loss. Love is the opposite. Hatred wants to hurt and destroy. Love wants to protect and give unselfishly, not to be confused with lust, which selfishly wants to seize and get.

 

The Bible tells us that God is love—that is His very nature. But God hates certain things because of the harm they do. For example, in the Book of Proverbs, chapter 6, we are told of seven things the Lord hates, the last of which is “sowing discord among others.” It's sad to say that we’ve just seen that in action.

 

We know that a God of love must hate evil. He hates the wrong things we do and our sins but still loves us deeply. In fact, He loves us all so much that He gave His own Son, Jesus Christ, to die for our sins on a cruel cross so that we might be forgiven and saved forever from their consequences. By putting your faith in Him, you can receive the gift of salvation He offers you now.

Written by a guest blogger

All photos courtesy of Unsplash