Lk 4:38-44 Getting Well And Serving “After Jesus left the synagogue, he entered the house of Simon. Simon’s mother-in-law was afflicted with a severe fever and they interceded with him about her. He stood over her, rebuked the fever and it left her. She got up immediately and waited on them.”
So much of our life is spent taking care of our health. We are living much longer than ever before. U.S. life expectancy has hit an all time high, rising above 78 years (for a baby born in 2009). The life expectancy of a man living in the time of Christ was much less. How much? I am not sure, but I cannot imagine it being above fifty.
The life expectancy of our Lord was just thirty-three years. He knew well when his hour had approached. He knew when he would have to leave this world and return to the Father. He knew and took time to prepare his heart, his mind and his will to accomplish all – everything - the Father had commanded him to be and do. He did not fail.
We all should have a strong natural desire to live longer, but I’m not so sure if we all know what to do with a longer life! I know I want to live, but am I really sure why I want to live? Is my life all about realizing my goals and having some thrills. I mean, “Is this all that life is?” No wonder our lives are marked by long periods of boredom, despair or even suicidal thoughts. It appears as though all the modern thrills have not replaced the grilling realities of life.
What I have noticed is that I will definitely shorten my life when what I seek most is to receive some kind of a standing ovation! I don’t know what the life expectancy of a successful music artist is but I presume it is just as low as that of a Hollywood star. It appears as though stardom quickly degenerates to boredom, and we all know that addictive personalities are fed by restlessness, irritability and discontent (RID).
Fortunately many movies tend to lose their audience with time. Unfortunately, most music tend to leave a following even long after the record artist fell to their demise. Modern singers cannot sustain themselves when they follow their own advice. But like I said before, unfortunately, the messages tend to remain, even well after the demise of the messenger. It's a suicidal twist of the truth - of shooting the messenger with their own message.
The young Ozzy Osbourne inspired millions with a very old message of living life freely and irresponsibly. He inspires only a few today with his new message. But the ones who are most inspired today were never really inspired back then. They knew better and now he does too! He knows he is very fortunate to be alive today! His message today is that of recovery! And that's a message we all like to hear.
You can’t always get what you want. You just can’t. You can only get what the Lord wants or you’ll end worse than getting nothing. You’ll end up dead.
"He stood over her, rebuked the fever and it left her. She got up immediately and waited on them.”
The Lord’s message is one of recovery too. He came to seek what was lost. He came to cure the ill, not the healthy. He lived a very short life in human years, but he left an enduring legacy of giving and forgiving; of loving others and serving them unconditionally. His way of living would quickly grow and those who followed him would love and serve him unconditionally.
Serve the Lord and feel better about yourself! This is today’s Gospel message. Serve the Lord (and others) with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength, and the Lord (and others) will have something to share with you. That is the best way, the only real way, to live life on earth and prepare for eternity!
Life on earth will always be short when compared to eternity!
Live life on high with Christ Jesus!
P.S. Here's a song that deserves to endure the test of time: LEGACY
