Bullets for the Battle

The Bullet of Meaning: Life Expectancy

“Man's days are determined; you have decreed the number of his months and have set limits he cannot exceed.” Job 14:5

The CIA Factbook for 2008 offers the following estimate of life expectancy for citizens of the United States, 78.06 years. It ranks US longevity 30th in the world behind such countries as number 1, Macau, at 84.379, Japan, 82.07, Switzerland, 80.22, Canada at 80.34 and South Korea, 79.10. Swaziland comes in at the bottom of the list of 191 countries with an average age of 32.23. The world average is 65.82 years. There are 110 countries on this list that have a life expectancy of 70 years or greater. On average women live 4 years longer than men world wide.

Many factors go into life expectancy. Here are a few that came to mind: infant mortality, war, auto accident rates, health care, endemic disease, droughts or famine, stress, crime, DNA, heredity and even the kinds of technologies readily available. Although the number of years a person may be expected to live can be calculated from statistics, it is wise to remember they only apply to a mythical “average” person. Each of us has only our “day” and our own number of “days” (Job 14:5; Ps. 90:12). What matters, however, is not how long we might live but what do we expect from our living? It’s not how many years we pack into our lives but how much life we pack into our years that will determine the quality of one’s life!

“Our life is but a mist, a vapor, a brief fog that vanishes before the morning sun” (James 4:14). Nature, culture, Scripture, God’s Spirit and our own experience of aging enforces that daunting prospect. Only by joining our life to the life the Father gives us “in Christ” are we secure from the ends and emptiness of death. Once the decline and death issue is “put” in its place through the Mind of Christ, we can get on with the main business of making the most of our time! (Eph. 5:15-17).

The wise “Cross Disciple” knows how to discern and navigate four important kinds of time. The Greek “time words” reveal a new way to look at time and discern how to conquer it. Without going into language technicalities and theological implications here is my simple summary. Hora (hour) is existence time that we all live in. Chronos (chronological) is calendar time that we measure our actions by, be it in minutes, hours, days, weeks, etc. Kairos (crisis, decision) is the critical time we face when serious judgments and responses must be made about people, thoughts and issues pressing in on us. Finally, aiones (ages) is the eternal time prepared for us in the coming kingdom. My definition for eternal time is somewhat of a contradiction (eternity does not have time) but in our limited world you know what I mean by it!

We could summarize by saying “I am alive and aware in this thing we call time (hora). I live by measuring its progress (chronos) and exercising my power to meet its challenges (kairos). There is no need to worry or let time control me as the Savior is with me in it and will use it for my ultimate (aiones) good! Time is not the answer to my pressures, but Christ in the midst of my time will tell me all I need to know and enable me to overcome!”

Is it any wonder that King David prayed, “Oh, Lord, my times are in Thy hands”? (Psalm 30:15). I’m confident he meant all four of our definitions even though he didn’t fully understand their deeper time meanings! We still don’t! What can we do but also in wisdom pray the prayer of King David!

“LORD, make me to know my end; And what is the extent of my days; Let me know how transient (temporary) I am (on this earth)” (Psalm 39:4).

We can also be at peace and full of praise as we have the Saviors final promise, “I Am with you all the days (hora, chronos, kairos) until the completion of the age (aiones)” (Mt. 28:20).