Last month, I celebrated another birthday. 28 years old. God gave me some good thoughts that day as I woke up. I thanked him for the life He had given me and for His faithfulness, mercy and provision throughout my life. I also had some sobering, yet motivating thoughts. I remembered the preacher David Brainerd, who ministered to the Indians of America during the colonial period of the 1700s. His life was said to have been marked by great zeal for God. He died of tuberculosis at the age of 29. I thought about the earthly life of Jesus of Nazareth. It is estimated that he lived on the earth about 33 years.

God has not revealed to me how long I will live on this earth. But, I want my life to count. I want it to be lived well. It’s not that I want it to count for the name and fame of Timothy Guess. That would be a futile and sinful goal. But, I want it to count for the glory of God and the good of His cause here on earth. Too much of my time has not been lived well. You can probably say the same.

What is a life lived well? Is it the accomplishment of a prestigious education and noble employment? Is it having a “good” and respectable family in society, in which many “important” people speak well of you? Is it the accumulation of monetary worth, where “security” is assured and nice vacations, cars, and houses are obtained? You and I know the answer to these questions.

Hebrews 11 speaks of a host of people who God says lived well. The theme of the chapter is that they lived a life of faith. They trusted God and obeyed Him. He was the center and goal of their lives. He was their pursuit and object of their joy and service. Some of them, like Abraham and David, were rich. But their riches didn’t control their heart. Others were poor, oppressed, and hated by society. But that didn’t defeat them; their sights were set on heaven.