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| What can you give to the Lord? |
“Kung mayroon lamang akong sanlibong buhay,
Di ko ipagkakait, lahat sa’yo’y ibibigay.
Gayon pa man, sa iisang buhay na aking taglay,
Ilalaan ko ang bawat saglit upang Ikaw ay ibigin ng walang humpay.”
These powerful lyrics come from one of my favorite Christian songs, “Kalakip ng Awitin.” Every time I sing it, I ask myself: "If I had a thousand lives, would I surrender all of them to the Lord?"
How about you? Can you honestly answer that question?
AGE IN THE BIBLE
GENESIS 5
One thing that has always amazed me is how long people lived in the Old Testament—some reaching almost a thousand years! For example, in Genesis 5, we see how men like Adam, Methuselah, and others lived incredibly long lives. But what's even more remarkable is how much of those years were spent walking with and serving the Lord.
Of course, not everyone walked with God from birth. Take Enoch, for example. He began his walk with God at the age of 65, after his son Methuselah was born. He lived a total of 365 years, which means he walked with God for 300 years! What a legacy of faith.
But then, something changed. In Genesis 6:3, God declared that man's days would be limited to 120 years. This wasn’t immediate—it began with the descendants of Noah. Why the change? Because wickedness on earth had increased to unbearable levels. From Cain’s murder to Lamech’s polygamy, sin was growing fast. Eventually, God had to make a painful but just decision to cleanse the earth through the flood (Genesis 6:12).
After the flood, the human lifespan dramatically shortened. Even great men of God like David, who reigned for 40 years, died around 70 years old. Solomon was believed to have died between 59–80 years old, and Jeremiah around 80. Their lives were far shorter than their ancestors—but their impact was eternal.
Evil Then vs. Evil Now
Yes, there was sin in the Old Testament—but let’s be honest, our generation is facing a different kind of darkness. The Bible tells us plainly that in the last days, "perilous times shall come" (2 Timothy 3:1). We live in an age where evil is not just present—it’s celebrated. So it should not surprise us that human lifespan is now commonly between 70 and 80 years, as stated in Psalm 90:10:
“The days of our years are threescore years and ten;
and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years,
yet is their strength labour and sorrow;
for it is soon cut off, and we fly away.”
That’s why we’re reminded in Psalm 90:12:
“Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.”
A Challenge for All of Us
Let’s do the math—no, not just of numbers, but of purpose. Some of us waste our limited time chasing after what we want, forgetting that this life is not our own. We live like Christ is not coming back, even though we know deep in our hearts: He is.
Brethren,
the truth is—we don’t have a thousand years. In fact, we don’t even have the assurance of tomorrow. So the real question is: What are we doing with the life we’ve been given today?
Let’s stop offering God our leftovers—our leftover time, our leftover energy, our leftover love. If we struggle to give Him one full day of worship and obedience, how could we ever say, “Lord, I’d give You a thousand lives”?
So I challenge you—and myself—let’s live every day with eternity in mind. Let’s serve with passion, love without holding back, and worship like it’s our last day. Because the truth is, we may not have a thousand years, but we can live this one life in a way that glorifies God forever.
"Only one life, ’twill soon be past.
Only what’s done for Christ will last."
TO GOD BE THE GLORY
Letter for my Brethren
I pray that every one of us has a heart that is willing to serve the Lord every day as if it is our last.
May the Holy Spirit helps us to do it right in the sight of our God.
I plead the blood of Jesus to cover and protect us from all harm in Jesus' name. Amen.
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