LIVING ON AND ON AND ON

     Daisy was spending an afternoon volunteering at the local hospital helping out where ever they needed her. As she made her way down one of the halls pushing an overloaded cart she literally bumped into Mrs. Gray whom she couldn't see over the cart. “HMPHF” Helen growled. “I'm sorry.” Daisy said immediately.

      “I'm okay.” Helen quickly assured Daisy, “I'm growling at Harold.” “Oh.” Daisy said and started to push the cart along the way and then whirled around “Harold!” she shouted, “Mindy didn't try and kill him did she? She was pretty angry at him last week.” “No.” Helen said, “But if I catch him I might.”

      “Not you too.” Daisy said, “Don't tell me you drank Harold’s latest potion.” “I'm not that desperate.” Helen said, “At least not yet, I have plenty of years ahead of me.” “Huh, What are you talking about?” Daisy asked. “Robert went and drank another one of Harold’s potions.” “Not another one!” Daisy exclaimed, “What’s the potion for this time?”

      “He claimed it was suppose to make a person live on and on and on so they could have more time to do things.” Helen said “And Robert drank it.” “It didn't work did it?” Daisy asked, not sure how she would know. “Just the opposite.” Helen told her, “It almost killed him. That's why I'm here. Robert is in the hospital.”

      “Where in the world did Harold come up with the idea for this potion?” Daisy asked. “I guess he got the idea from watching science fiction shows on television.” Helen said. “He learned how to make people live longer from science shows?” Daisy questioned. “Actually,” Helen corrected here, “ They were science fiction shows. No one really lives forever.”

      “Well, Harold believed what he saw and tried to repeat it.” Helen said, “And then once he copied their formula, Robert decided he wanted to avoid dying and drank it all.” “And now he's in the hospital.” Daisy said shaking her head. “What was in that potion?” “Don't know.” Helen said, “In fact Harold didn’t even know. I just wish He’d stop making them.”

      “What if everybody else would stop drinking them?” Daisy asked. “Yeah, I suppose that would work too. “ Helen said with a sigh, “I know I sure learned my lesson with all those freckles.” “Don't tell me you drank that potion too?” Daisy asked in shock. But Helen never answered instead Helen said, “ I think I heard Robert yelling for me.” and took off.

     Then the LORD God said, "Behold, the man has become like one of us in knowing good and evil. Now, lest he reach out his hand and take also of the tree of life and eat, and live forever—

Genesis 3:22 (ESV)

      Somewhere in the Garden of Eden was a tree that if eaten would give life, would make it so man would live forever. Interesting enough is that man was not told he couldn't eat from this tree, even though he didn't. Starting in Genesis 4:17 through 5:32 we find that men began to multiply and fill the earth and that they lived......long.

• Thus all the days that Adam lived were 930 years, and he died.
• Thus all the days of Seth were 912 years, and he died.
• Thus all the days of Enosh were 905 years, and he died.
• Thus all the days of Kenan were 910 years, and he died.
• Thus all the days of Mahalalel were 895 years, and he died.
• Thus all the days of Jared were 962 years, and he died.
• Thus all the days of Enoch were 365 years.
• Thus all the days of Methuselah were 969 years, and he died.
• Thus all the days of Lamech were 777 years, and he died.

      When you look at the age of people today, nobody live to be that old. Something changed. Even though these ages are not forever they are long after the flood. Interestingly enough there are legends outside of the Bible that attribute long ages to people in days gone by.

     Death is a part of life, we don't live forever, the Bible tells us...

• Sin came into the world because of what one man did, and with sin came death. This is why everyone must die—because everyone sinned. Romans 5:12 (NCV)
• Everyone must die once, and after that be judged by God. Hebrews 9:27 (TEV)
• None of us can hold back our spirit from departing. None of us has the power to prevent the day of our death. There is no escaping that obligation, that dark battle. And in the face of death, wickedness will certainly not rescue those who practice it. Ecclesiastes 8:8 (NLT)
• Because God's children are human beings—made of flesh and blood—Jesus also became flesh and blood by being born in human form. For only as a human being could he die, and only by dying could he break the power of the Devil, who had the power of death. Only in this way could he deliver those who have lived all their lives as slaves to the fear of dying. Hebrews 2:14-15 (NLT)
• So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom. Psalm 90:12 (ESV)

      Too often we live as if we will live forever, we fail to number our days.

Here's Something To Ponder

• Does death cause you to fear?
• God does offer a plan for life after death, are you willing to follow it?