The Goal is Longevity

I recently enjoyed a relaxing and rare weekend away with my family. Over the weekend I found myself meditating on longevity and how, when longevity is your goal your priority is the health of your soul! – Here are some of my thoughts about longevity…

lon·gev·i·ty  noun

1. a long duration of individual life

2. long continuance:  permanence, durability

Longevity is afforded to those resilient in spirit, and reliant on God. Moses, at the age of 120 gave a series of departing messages as Israel's leader addressed to those who had survived the forty-year wilderness experience - the new generation destined to possess the Promised Land. In his stately instructions, he included this about God; He is your life and the length of your days. To understand this about life - is to understand a major key to longevity.

I love hearing about married couples celebrating 50-year wedding anniversaries, or churches marking two decades of reaching their community, along with a number of those church members who can remember the first service all those years ago. Experiencing longevity is an admirable quality, an inspiring life achievement, as well as a noble vision for life. It was said of Abraham that after living to 175 years that he died in a good old age, an old man and full of years (Genesis 25:7-8). The same was said of his son Isaac (Genesis 35:28-29) who surpassed his father’s age, demonstrating that longevity, not only in terms of age but in all aspects of life can be a legacy for future generations to reach for and aspire to.

Jesus’ brother James comments that life is a vapour that appears for a little time and then vanishes away (James 4:13-16), and Moses prayed, Teach us Lord to realise the brevity of life, so we may grow in wisdom (Psalm 90:12). A man 90 years old was asked what he attributed his longevity. I reckon he said, with a twinkle in his eye, it’s because most nights I went to bed and slept when I should have sat up and worried. Jesus says, “Don’t worry about your life…can all your worries add a single moment to your life?" A major factor determining longevity in life however – whether in marriage, ministry or business etc - is wisdom. Godly wisdom under girds longevity, where worldly ‘wisdom’ tragically undermines it. Jesus illustrates this point in the parable about the wise and foolish builders and their respective foundations for life. 

"These words I speak to you are not incidental additions to your life, homeowner improvements to your standard of living. They are foundational words, words to build a life on. If you work these words into your life, you are like a smart carpenter who built his house on solid rock. Rain poured down, the river flooded, a tornado hit—but nothing moved that house. It was fixed to the rock. But if you just use my words in Bible studies and don't work them into your life, you are like a stupid carpenter who built his house on the sandy beach. When a storm rolled in and the waves came up, it collapsed like a house of cards."  - Matthew 7:24-27 (MSG)

Clearly Jesus is speaking about two Christians – as I don’t know many non-Christian people doing bible studies! He is contrasting a Christian who works His words into their life and the Christian who does not. Notice that neither was spared from the assault of the storm but the one who built his life on the foundational words of Jesus was spared its devastating affects. Longevity develops character and builds credibility, and gives insight not only into what you stand for in life but what you stand on. Longevity is in the eye of the wise builder –whose long-term thinking determined the quality of the foundation he sought to build his life on.   


Good friend, don't forget all that I taught you; take to heart my commands. They'll help you live a long, long time, a long life lived full and well.  - Proverbs 3:1-2