When you say, I’m “x” number of years old and “holding,” exactly what are you holding? Of course, we all know what that means. It expresses what we come to realize more and more the older we become. Time really does fly, and try as you may, you can’t slow it down. You can’t “hold” time. You can’t “hold” days, months, years. They whiz by. They come. They go. And they are usually in a hurry!

I’m old enough now to be well aware of my own mortality, so when I say “holding” I’m not being delusional. In truth, I’m not referring to time at all. When I say that I am now 39 and holding, I’m holding on to something far more precious and lasting than time on earth.

What am I holding? At 39, I’m holding onto 39 years jammed packed with GRACE! For 39 years the Lord has been overwhelming in His kindness, mercy, goodness, and grace toward me in Christ.

There has not been one single day of my life that I received what I deserved (mercy)! On the other hand, there has not been a single day of my life that I did not receive far more than I deserve (grace)! Life has been good because God is good. I’ve lived. I’ve breathed. I’ve loved. I’ve hurt. I’ve grown. I’ve been kept. I’ve been helped. I’ve been, and I’ve been for 39 years!

The most surprising of all the events in my life, surpassing the unexplainable good gifts and common grace, is that God, in sovereign, holy salvation, opened my eyes to behold His Son, wakened my dead heart out of my sin, and granted me faith to believe and repentance to turn. In short, He lavished me with saving grace, does so each day, and will continue to do so forevermore.

Because of Christ’s work on my behalf and God’s application of His work to me, now there will NEVER be a single day of my everlasting life that I will receive what I deserve, and there will NEVER be a single day of my everlasting life that I will not receive more than I deserve.

39 years and holding...onto 39 years of grace.