Your Youth Is Renewed Like the Eagle's - Psalm 103:5

Psalm 103:5
…who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's. (NIV)

Your Youth Is Renewed Like the Eagle's

In 1513, Spanish explorer Ponce de Leon scoured Florida, searching for the legendary Fountain of Youth. Today, several corporations are researching ways to extend the human life-span.

All these efforts are doomed to fail. The Bible says "The length of our days is seventy years — or eighty, if we have the strength." (Psalm 90:10, NIV) How, then, can God say your youth is renewed like the eagle's ?

God performs that impossible task by satisfying our desires with good things. Those who do not know God try to renew their youth with a young spouse or a facelift, but God works within our hearts.

Left to ourselves, we chase after the things of this world, things that will someday end up in the landfill. Only our Creator knows what we really, truly desire. Only he can fulfill us with things of eternal value. The fruit of the Spirit provides believers with love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. The person who possesses these qualities does indeed feel young again.

These traits fill our lives with energy and an eagerness to wake up in the morning. Life becomes exciting again. Every day is bursting with opportunities to serve others.

Delight in the Lord

The big question is "How can this happen?" We are so influenced by sin that we are incapable of knowing our true desires. David provides the answer in Psalm 37:4: "Take delight in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart." (NIV)

A life centered on Jesus Christ first, others second, and yourself last will always be young. Sadly, those who selfishly scramble for a personal Fountain of Youth will forever be plagued with anxiety and fear. Every new wrinkle will be a cause for panic.

The joy of a Christ-focused life, on the other hand, no longer depends on outward circumstances. As we grow older, we accept that there are some things we can no longer do, but instead of wasting time mourning those losses, we rejoice in the things we can still do. Rather than foolishly struggling to recapture our youth, we as believers can age gracefully, confident God will give us power to accomplish what matters.

Bible scholar Matthew George Easton (1823-1894) said eagles shed their feathers in early spring and grow new plumage that makes them look young again. Human beings may not be able to reverse the aging process, but God can renew our inner youth when we shed our self-centered nature and make him our priority.

When Jesus Christ lives his life through us, we find strength not just for everyday chores but also to lighten the load of friends or family. We all know people who seem young at 90 and others who seem old at 40. The difference is a Christ-centered life.

We can clutch onto our days with greedy hands, terrified of growing old. Or, as Jesus said, when we lose our life for his sake, then we truly find it.

Sources

• Easton, M.G. Easton's Bible Dictionary.
• “Ponce De León : Florida's First Spanish Explorer.” Gallery - Einsatzgruppen - Photos.