Life returns to normal

Well, the Holidays are over and life is returning to normal. Things are slow going; I go back to work tomorrow and my wife begins a new job as well. Of course, it's a mixed bag of the kids' attitude toward going back to school. It's taking some getting used to, but we'll be back in full swing before we know it.

I'm pleased to say that I finished the WSFC devotion for today as well as the Daily Audio Bible podcast. Let me tell you, it's great to be back in the Word! Although I've been through Genesis before, I never caught an interesting fact about Noah and the flood until today. We all know it rained for 40 days and 40 nights. But, from start to finish, after boarding the ark, did you know that Noah and company remained on the boat for about a year before officially exiting the vessel? This blew me away- a year!

I'd also been reminded of just how long the lifespan was, for people in the Old Testament. Noah was over 900 years old when he died. Adam was, too. In fact, is was normal for people to live for centuries before they died! After the flood, the sons of Noah began to have children, grand children and so on. The life expectancy of humans began to decrease dramatically. Even so, it wasn't uncommon for someone to live between 100 and 200 years. As time moved on, the average lifespan became what it is today.

Psalm 90:10 (New International Version)

The length of our days is seventy years—
or eighty, if we have the strength;
yet their span [a] is but trouble and sorrow,
for they quickly pass, and we fly away.

I can only speculate at this point in time, but I have to wonder if the shortened life expectancy has to do with the way that sin literally affects our minds and bodies. We all know that 'sin' is often thought of as an intangible thing. But what if the wickedness that most of us wrestle with each day at some level, is actually physically killing us? Kind of makes you think, doesn't it?

Romans 6:23 (King James Version)

For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.