The Long and Prosperous Life

Proverbs 3:1-2
“…do not forget my teaching, but keep my commands in your heart, for they will prolong your life many years and bring you peace and prosperity.”

A long life is a blessed life. Even though some Christians may have lived short fulfilling lives, the Bible still describes the long life as blessed. That is if we’ve not forgotten the Lord’s teachings and kept His commands in our hearts.

Remembering His promises and all the wonderful ways of living He’s taught us, brings peace, joy, and comfort as we navigate through life’s many chapters. In Psalm 91:14-16 we see the word of the Lord regarding his care: “Because he loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name. He will call on me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him. With long life, I will satisfy him and show him my salvation.”

That passage shows us some of the rewards of loving the Lord and seeking His help in life. We don’t have to worry about being a bother to him. He tells us to come, to call on him.

The Bible also shows us in Deuteronomy 5:16 that long life and wellness are linked to treating our parents with honor, which Ephesians 6:2 says is the first commandment with a promise.

In addition, Proverbs 10:27 reminds us that the fear or reverence of the Lord adds length to life, but the years of the wicked are cut short. So, in our quest to reach all of our career, relationship, or ministry goals, we can trust that if we, “Walk in obedience” to all that the Lord our God has commanded, we will “live and prosper and prolong” our days (Deuteronomy 5:33).

God is so good to us. The Bible he has given us is so rich with wonderful truths and promises that lead to many good things in our lives. And he tells us whoever has these commands and keeps them is the one who loves him and will be loved by his Father. Not to mention loved by Jesus himself and shown to them.

It’s also good to remember that “whoever would love life and see good days must keep their tongue from evil and their lips from deceitful speech. They must turn from evil and do good; they must seek peace and pursue it.” We find from many of these scriptures that this lifestyle is quite different from what our culture may show us today. But this is why we don’t conform to the world, but renew our minds with the Bible’s truths so that our lives can be blessed by the wisdom it gives us. We must remember that God’s kingdom is not of this world, so if to others we seem out of touch by living as God tells us to live, that should never be a problem for us.

Choosing life through obedience to God leads to long life and blessings. Deuteronomy 30:19-20 assures us that he’s given us a choice between life and death, blessings, and cursings. But tells us to choose life, that we may love God, “listen to his voice, and hold fast to him.” For the Lord is our life, and he’ll give us many years.

Now we may have known some awesome people who seemingly went to be with the Lord early, but God knows every circumstance of these situations that differ from others. Yet for the most part, God has made clear that long life is a blessing from God and has taught us ways to achieve it.

We also know that it is appointed to man once to die (Hebrews 9:27) and as spoken in James 4:14, “Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.” This speaks to the futility of boasting about tomorrow.

Nevertheless, the Bible still gives us some helpful tools for living a long and prosperous life on earth. Some of which I’ve repeated and paraphrased here:

• love the Lord.
• love your neighbor.
• love your enemies.
• walk in the way the Lord says.
• live righteously.
• fear, reverence, or respect the Lord.
• keep your lips and tongue from speaking evil.
• find wisdom and gain understanding.
• honor and obey your parents.
• don’t provoke your children but bring them up in the instruction of the Lord.
• keep God’s teachings in your heart; don’t forget them.
• be wise; get wisdom.
• serve the Lord.
• number your days, gaining a heart of wisdom.
• recount the deeds of the Lord.
• keep your soul well.
• be faithful to the truth.
• walk in the Lord’s ways keeping his statutes and commandments.
• dwell in the shelter of the most high God by living in his presence, praying, and saying and knowing the Lord is your refuge in whom you can trust.
• appeal to God and lay your cause before Him.
• receive the Lord’s correction and discipline.
• believe in and on the Lord.
• do what the Lord says; keep his statutes/commandments.
• receive the life Jesus came to give.
• live, and keep yourself, in peace by keeping the Lord’s commandments in your heart.
• trust that the Lord’s plans for you are good and not evil.
• accept the Lord as your Shepherd who takes good care of you.
• understand that the Lord knitted you in your mother’s womb and you are fearfully and wonderfully made. He knows everything about you and your entire life.
• listen to the Lord’s words and accept them.
• believe and stand on Jesus is the only way and no one comes to the Father but by Him.
• live a life of godliness.
• wait on the Lord.
• realize you can do all things through the Lord; accept His strength.
• believe in the Lord doing the same works he does. Ask the Father for what you want in Jesus name and you’ll have it.
• accept that nothing will be impossible with God.
• follow Jesus.
• receive the Lord as your Shepherd.
• hold fast to the Lord and know His name–don’t change your mind about Him.
• don’t be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind with God’s word.
• realize life and death are in the power of your tongue and you’ll eat the fruit of either.
• keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking deceitfully.
• pray.
• turn away from evil; do good.
• seek peace; pursue it.
• remember Moses was 120 and when he died his eyes weren’t dim, nor his vigor unabated. recognize the good things about Moses and the good things he did as an example.
• don’t be afraid. recognize God gave you a spirit of love, power, and self-control…you already have it!