Ready for God’s Midlife Adventure?

Have you ever heard of the Adventure Grand Slam? It is the ultimate in extreme outdoor events.

To accomplish this feat, one must climb the highest mountain on each of the seven continents plus ski to both the North and South Pole. Only forty people have done it.

One of the summits is Mount Everest which is the highest peak in the world at 29,035 feet. Sometimes mountaineers are so intent about reaching the top that they forget it is only the halfway point. If they weren’t ready as a result of years of training and preparation, they could die. Most of the deaths occur on the way down when the climbers have exhausted their energy.

This idea carries over into our midlife years about being ready for the assignments that God brings our way. The Scriptures talk about an “hour” that arrives from heaven regarding a specific, defining task for us to fulfill.

Jesus said, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified” and “Father, the hour has come; glorify Your Son, that the Son may glorify you” (John 12:23 and 17:1).

The hour that Christ faced represented the colossal culmination of the plan God had set in motion before the ages began. No power in heaven or on earth could hinder the flawless execution of these divine purposes in the Messiah.

When it comes to our life, we will have a least one (if not many more) defining hours where we are critically poised to fulfill God’s purpose in a unique way. Another way to say it is, “Are you ready for God’s midlife adventure?” The risk is that we will fail the test and the hour will pass us by with the task being fulfilled by someone else.

Here’s a convicting question to ask yourself that will help determine if you’re ready for God’s next assignment:

If God was looking for someone to take on an important role for the Kingdom, would you be the one to choose given your present attitude, behavior, and choices?

When I heard that question some years ago, I had to honestly admit that “No, I wasn’t the one to pick. I’m not ready.” I was playing it way too safe and my confidence level in God was low. I got tired of living such a defeated life and determined things were going to be different with the Lord’s help.

One of the verses I held onto during that time was:

Do not fear, for I am with you; do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand. (Isaiah 41:10).

Fortunately, if asked today, I would say “Yes, sign me up!”

How about you? How would you answer that question?

Are you ready for God’s midlife adventure?