Good morning. Mr. Spock from Star trek would utter those words, “Live long and prosper” as a Vulcan salute, accompanied by separating his fingers and thumb in a certain way. I can understand the sentiment, but I am not sure if I have the patience for it. It is an undeniable truth that we are all “works in progress”. God isn’t finished with me, and that is true for us all. As we grow and mature patience is required.
In case you’ve ever wondered (and I admit that those of us who do wonder about such things may be a little weird) what the longest living animal would be, it is the ocean quahog clam. One of these clams was checked (don’t ask me how) and it is presently about 524 years old. It is hard for me to identify with a clam.
Jonathan is a tortoise and last year he celebrated his 190th birthday. Those who keep track of him made him a special salad cake, which was fitting considering that his diet is mostly grass. Being born in 1832, Jonathan has lived through the US Civil war, two world wars, eight British monarchs, and forty US presidents. As for technology and inventions, he was here for the “first of” an amazing amount of stuff. He doesn’t seem all that impressed.
Do such tortoises have reckless teen age years? Are they ever seen throwing a tantrum in their terrible twos? Does anyone ever say to a tortoise, “Oh for crying out loud, why don’t you just act your age!”? Does anyone ever have to help a tortoise learn patience?
Whether we are 1 or 101 God isn’t finished with us until we have breathed our last and may join Him in eternity. We are always works in progress and patience is always required.
Please share these two scripture verses with me today and consider what they may be saying to us about being patient while we are being worked on by our Master Creator:
Be completely humble and gentle, bearing with one another in love. Ephesians 4:2
Let us never become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will all reap a harvest if we do not give up. Galatians 6:9
We are not clams. We are not even tortoises. We are creatures of God into whom He has breathed His Spirit so that we are “living beings”. The tense of the word “living” indicates that we are, by virtue of our unique spiritual essence, eternal.
May we live long, live well, love the Lord with all our heart, and live lives of love that reflect His glory. May we live long and prosper in the Lord.
Vern