A Metamorphosis To A Long Life

A Metamorphosis To A Long Life

I will reward them with a long life and give them my salvation. Psalm 91:16

While reading Psalm 91, I couldn’t help but think about the world we live in today and all the arrows that seem to be fired at us. We each face the enemy in different ways. For some, it’s through illness. For others, it’s grieving the loss of a loved one. For those who watch the evening news, it may seem as if the entire world is at war.

Yet, throughout Psalm 91, God reveals himself as our protector and defender from the evil one. He promises us long life and salvation if we follow him and his words.

During my years as a country doctor, I’ve come to believe that having a long life means something different than what we might first imagine. I’ve had the privilege of standing in the foyer of heaven and watching as many have left this world and been gathered under the wings of salvation, delivered into eternity and their forever home.

It reminds me of a caterpillar that is born into this world as an egg but becomes a larva and learns to find nourishment and sustenance on the plant leaves near where it was born. Then one day, the larva begins its metamorphosis. We can’t see what happens in this chrysalis transition stage, but big changes are happening, until finally the majestic butterfly bursts forth.

This butterfly no longer has the limitations of the caterpillar. It can fly far from where its life began. But for the butterfly to have wings, the caterpillar must give up life as he knows it so that the completed being can be free to fly.

Our lives here on earth are a foreshadowing of what is yet to come, and what is yet to come is beyond our imagination. Why would we not want to become like butterflies? Why would we postpone our forever life as a completed work to glorify God? Do we stubbornly sit out in the cold simply because we don’t want to accept the open door into the warm, protected home of our Savior?

TODAY’S RX

As we give ourselves to God, he will transform us into glorious beings who will live with him for eternity.

Father, refine me as I live out my days on earth. Help me to shed my sinful behavior and put on your truth. I long for the day when I am a fully new creation in you.