A Life Full of Days

Last night was Emily's graduation from high school.  It was a wonderful evening and though there had been an 80% chance of thunderstorms, the weather actually held off long enough to have the ceremony outdoors where it had been originally planned.  There were a few rumbles of thunder, but the rain didn't start until about 15 minutes after the end of graduation.

Of course, there were the normal speeches about dreaming big and going far.  Emily's yearbook is full of sentiments about being successful and all the rest of platitudes that we always say at these type of events. 

But I've been reading in 2 Chronicles the past week and was struck by statements about two different men - Jehoram, the king of Judah, and a priest, Jehoaida.  Both were alive during the same time frame but their ends were very different and what is recorded about their lives are polar opposites.  One did evil in the sight of the Lord and the other, Johoaida, lived his life to do God's will.

2 Chronicles 21:20 ~ "Jehoram was 32 years old when he became king; he reigned for eight years in Jerusalem.  He died to no one's regret and was buried in the city of David but not in the tombs of the kings."

2 Chronicles 24:15 ~ "Jehoiada died when he was old and full of days; he was 130 years old at his death."

The contrast is sobering.  One died and not a soul mourned his passing. To me, that is such a sad statement. The other died with a full and satisfactory life.  It causes one to pause and think about how we are living our lives. 

My desire for my daughter, and all of my children, is to have a full life.  It doesn't have to be one of success or fame.  I want them to look back on their lives and say, "My life was full."  "My life was good."  "My life was spent in following where the Lord is leading." 

Those are things I wish for my children.  As Emily is moving forward into this next stage of her life, my prayer is that she would understand and embrace this truth. 

I want to live my life this way as well.  One day, I want someone to say that I died and I was full of days.