long life is a blessing essay

Reimagining Lotería: Participatory Futures and Cultural Renewal in Mexico

Enhancing general education with strategic foresight, foresight’s role in collective impact initiatives.

• Macrohistory, Peace and Futures | An Interview with Johan Galtung
• After Corporate Capitalism: Economics for People and Planet
• Call for Papers: WFSF XXV Conference Special Issue
• Youth Foresight with Umar Sheraz
• Stories from the Future— an Experiential Lens on the post- pandemic landscape

Longevity: curse or blessing?

By Peter van der Wel

In my presentations, I often tell the audience about the very plausible possibility that in the future some of us (or even most of us) will become very much older, maybe even immortal. I tell them, for example, about the escape velocity theory. According to this theory , immortality will come within our reach when biotechnology develops faster than the aging process itself. This means that the people who lived are the first generation who are no longer sure that they will die.

This train of thought always raises many questions among those present. For example, how quickly this development will take place? And, of course, there are also many ethical dilemmas associated with extending the life span even further. Do elderly people, if they stay alive longer and longer, occupy the places of young people? And how do we deal with income disparities if not can such longevity interventions? In this blog, I will discuss some of these questions.

First of all, the speed of this development. We can distinguish three phases in extending the life span. The first phase ran from roughly 1900 to the year 2000. In this phase, the average lifespan increased from 40 to 80 years, due to better antibiotics, better health care, better nutrition, and better sanitation. We are now in phase 2, the phase of life expansion. This phase will continue until roughly 2050. We will find it more and more normal that people can become 100 years old or even older if they want. People of all ages remain healthier, livelier, more active, and physically younger than before through genetic engineering, cloning of body parts, stem cell technology, and tissue regeneration and even by improving our body with new technologies such as inserting non-biological technology, implants, brain prostheses, etc.

Somewhere in the middle of this century, we will enter phase 3, the phase of immortality or at least near immortality. In this phase, those who want it can become 300 years old or even older. Partly through the new techniques developed in phase 2, such as the elimination of cell aging and the production of new body parts. But mainly because we know by then how we can adjust the complex processes in our cells via nanotechnology and biotechnology.

Is it a problem when we are all living longer? The media, as well as most government reports, often describe an aging population as a dangerous or threatening disaster. But aging does not necessarily have to have a negative impact on society. Older people, for example, generally commit far less offenses. Older people are generally also less mobile and therefore have less of an impact on the road infrastructure. They also make far less use of the educational provisions. They are usually not too much of a burden financially either. They often no longer have a mortgage and therefore have no tax deduction. They mostly live from their own private means and spend their money much more often within their own country.  Because of their tax payments, the costs of aging has largely taken upon themselves.

After their death, the elderly pass on all their possessions to the younger generation in inheritance and to finish  this list: they promote labor participation as a babysitter and transfer their knowledge to the younger generations. How much would these contributions save society?

Then there is the question of whether the elderly occupy the places for young people. Contrary to what many people think, the  population growth on earth is declining rapidly. And in the prosperous parts of our planet, too few children are born to compensate for the mortality rates. In 100 years from now, I expect all of our planet to be prosperous, so we will need, the elderly if we want to keep the population at the current level.

Aging can, of course, have a negative impact when it leads to a standstill and stagnation in society. Older people are  often more conservative than younger people are. But the question is, of course, whether that will remain the case if you are sure that you have 250 years to live.

Hopefully, we will see this all for ourselves when we experience this ourselves.

Peter van der Wel works as a futurist and economist based in Amsterdam (The Netherlands) and is co-founder of the Dutch Future Society. Peter can be reached at: [email protected] and his website: www.vanderwel.net .

Related Posts

Comments are closed.

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.

25 Bible Verses About Long Life (With Commentary)

Longevity is a cherished blessing, and the Bible contains verses that offer insights into living a fulfilling and meaningful life. Today, we’ll uncover the wisdom that helps us navigate the journey toward a long and purposeful existence.

Also Read: Bible Verses About Controlling Your Thoughts

Bible Verses About Long Life

Exodus 20:12.

“Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you.”

This verse emphasizes the importance of honoring and respecting our parents. By doing so, we can experience the blessing of a long and fruitful life. It highlights the connection between our relationships with our parents and our overall well-being.

Proverbs 3:1-2

“My son, do not forget my teaching, but let your heart keep my commandments, for length of days and years of life and peace they will add to you.”

By adhering to godly wisdom and following His commandments, we can experience a long life filled with peace. This verse emphasizes the importance of embracing God’s guidance and living a life based on His principles.

Psalm 91:16

“With long life I will satisfy him and show him my salvation.”

God promises to satisfy us with long life and reveal His salvation to us. This verse demonstrates God’s desire to bless His children with an abundant and fulfilling life, both on earth and eternally.

Proverbs 9:11

“For by me (wisdom) your days will be multiplied, and years will be added to your life.”

By seeking and embracing wisdom, we can experience an extension of our days and enjoy a longer life. This verse encourages us to value wisdom and make it a priority in our lives.

Deuteronomy 11:21

“that your days and the days of your children may be multiplied in the land that the Lord swore to your fathers to give them, as long as the heavens are above the earth.”

Through our obedience to God’s commands and teaching them to our children, we can experience the multiplication of our days and the days of our descendants. This verse highlights the legacy and generational impact of living according to God’s principles.

Proverbs 4:10

“Hear, my son, and accept my words, that the years of your life may be many.”

This verse emphasizes the importance of listening to and accepting wise counsel in order to experience an increase in the number of years we live. It encourages a teachable spirit as we seek to grow in wisdom.

Psalm 34:12-16

“What man is there who desires life and loves many days, that he may see good? Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking deceit. Turn away from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it. The eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous and his ears toward their cry.”

This passage provides practical instructions on how to live a life that desires long and meaningful days. It highlights the importance of guarding our speech, turning away from evil, actively doing good, seeking peace, and trusting in the Lord’s guidance and presence.

Proverbs 10:27

“The fear of the Lord prolongs life, but the years of the wicked will be short.”

The fear of the Lord, which refers to reverence, respect, and obedience towards Him, is linked to a prolonged life. This verse contrasts the outcome of the righteous and the wicked, emphasizing the importance of living in alignment with God’s ways.

Psalm 91:14-16

“Because he holds fast to me in love, I will deliver him; I will protect him because he knows my name. When he calls to me, I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will rescue him and honor him. With long life I will satisfy him and show him my salvation.”

Those who hold fast to God in love and intimately know and call upon His name can experience His deliverance, protection, and presence in all circumstances. This verse reiterates the promise of a long and satisfying life from the perspective of a personal relationship with the Lord.

Proverbs 16:31

“Gray hair is a crown of glory; it is gained in a righteous life.”

This verse acknowledges the value and honor that comes with reaching old age. It underscores the connection between a righteous life and the evidence of aging, highlighting the importance of living in righteousness and integrity.

Psalm 92:14

“They still bear fruit in old age; they are ever full of sap and green.”

The righteous continue to bear spiritual fruit and remain vibrant and fruitful even in their old age. This verse portrays aging as an ongoing opportunity for growth, impact, and service to God.

Proverbs 3:16-18

“Long life is in her (wisdom’s) right hand; in her left hand are riches and honor. Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace. She is a tree of life to those who lay hold of her; those who hold her fast are called blessed.”

Wisdom is depicted as a source of long life, as well as wealth, honor, pleasantness, and peace. This verse underscores the immense value and blessing that comes from pursuing and embracing godly wisdom in every area of life.

Deuteronomy 4:40

“Therefore you shall keep his statutes and his commandments, which I command you today, that it may go well with you and with your children after you, and that you may prolong your days in the land that the Lord your God is giving you for all time.”

By diligently obeying God’s statutes and commandments, we can experience the blessings of a well-lived life for ourselves and our descendants. This verse highlights the connection between obedience and the prolonging of our days in the promised land.

Proverbs 14:27

“The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life, that one may turn away from the snares of death.”

The fear of the Lord is described as a fountain of life, providing a source of spiritual vitality and protection from the traps and dangers of death. This verse emphasizes the life-giving and life-sustaining aspects of living in reverence and awe of God.

“He asked life of you; you gave it to him, length of days forever and ever.”

This verse demonstrates the power of prayer and the faithfulness of God. It showcases how God responds to the request for a long and eternal life by bestowing it upon His children.

Proverbs 12:28

“In the path of righteousness is life, and in its pathway, there is no death.”

Choosing the path of righteousness leads to life and freedom from the clutches of death and destruction. This verse affirms the importance of living in alignment with God’s ways and avoiding the pitfalls of sin.

Psalm 128:6

“May you see your children’s children! Peace be upon Israel!”

As God’s people walk in obedience and live according to His ways, they can experience the joy of witnessing their children’s children and the blessings of peace. This verse portrays the fulfillment and multiplication of life through successive generations.

Proverbs 16:22

“Good sense is a fountain of life to him who has it, but the instruction of fools is folly.”

Having good sense, which refers to wisdom and discernment, is described as a source of life. This verse emphasizes the benefits and life-giving nature of possessing godly wisdom and choosing to be instructed by it.

Psalm 133:3

“It is like the dew of Hermon, which falls on the mountains of Zion! For there the Lord has commanded the blessing, life forevermore.”

The unity of believers is compared to the refreshing dew that falls on the mountains of Zion. In the place of unity, God has commanded His blessing, resulting in life forevermore. This verse highlights the connection between unity and experiencing the abundant life God has promised.

Proverbs 19:23

“The fear of the Lord leads to life, and whoever has it rests satisfied; he will not be visited by harm.”

The fear of the Lord leads to life and brings contentment and security. This verse emphasizes the benefits of embracing a reverent and obedient relationship with God, leading to a life filled with His protection and provision.

Psalm 112:4-6

“Light dawns in the darkness for the upright; he is gracious, merciful, and righteous. It is well with the man who deals generously and lends; who conducts his affairs with justice. For the righteous will never be moved; he will be remembered forever.”

This passage describes the blessings that come upon the upright, including light in darkness, grace, mercy, righteousness, well-being, stability, and a lasting legacy. It underscores the connection between living in righteousness and experiencing a blessed and impactful life.

Proverbs 22:4

“The reward for humility and fear of the Lord is riches and honor and life.”

Humility and reverence for the Lord are the pathways to receiving riches, honor, and life. This verse emphasizes the importance of these virtues in experiencing the fullness of God’s blessings.

Psalm 133:1-2

“Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity! It is like the precious oil on the head, running down on the beard, on the beard of Aaron, running down on the collar of his robes!”

Unity among believers is described as a precious and anointing experience. This verse highlights the beauty and significance of living in harmony and working together in the body of Christ.

Proverbs 3:7-8

“Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and turn away from evil. It will be healing to your flesh and refreshment to your bones.”

This passage encourages humility, the fear of the Lord, and turning away from evil. It promises physical healing and refreshment as a result of aligning our hearts and actions with God’s wisdom and ways.

Psalm 16:11

“You make known to me the path of life; in your presence, there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.”

God, in His presence, reveals the path of life and bestows joy and eternal pleasures. This verse encourages seeking and dwelling in the presence of the Lord as the source of true and abundant life.

Proverbs 4:22

“For they are life to those who find them, and healing to all their flesh.”

God’s words and His wisdom bring life and healing to our bodies, minds, and spirits. This verse emphasizes the transformative and restorative power of embracing and applying God’s truth in our lives.

These Bible verses highlight the significance of living in obedience to God, seeking wisdom, fearing the Lord, and maintaining relationships based on love, respect, and unity. They underscore the connection between godly living and the experience of a long and fulfilling life. Each verse provides a unique perspective on the importance of embracing God’s principles and promises, experiencing His presence, and growing in wisdom and righteousness. Through these verses, we are reminded of God’s desire to bless His children with abundant life and the importance of aligning our lives with His purposes and ways.

What Does the Bible Say About Long Life?

The Bible speaks to the importance of living a long, fulfilling life. In the book of Exodus, God promises to reward those who honor their parents with long life (Exodus 20:12). Additionally, in Psalm 91:16, it says that those who love and acknowledge God will be satisfied with long life and will be shown God’s salvation.

Furthermore, Proverbs 3:1-2 encourages us to keep God’s commandments, for they bring long life and peace. This emphasizes the significance of obedience to God’s word in enjoying a long, prosperous life.

It’s important to note that while living a long life is desirable, our focus should not solely be on the length of our lives, but also on the quality of our lives. The book of Ecclesiastes reminds us to remember our Creator while we are young, to seek Him before the days of trouble come and the years approach when we will say, “I find no pleasure in them” (Ecclesiastes 12:1). Long life is a gift from God, and it is to be lived in reverence and obedience to Him.

As we seek to live long and prosperous lives, we must also remember the words of Jesus in Matthew 6:33, “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” Our priority should be to seek God’s kingdom and His righteousness, trusting that He will add all things, including long life, as He sees fit.

In conclusion, the Bible encourages us to honor our parents, love and acknowledge God, keep His commandments, and seek His kingdom first, all of which contribute to a long and fulfilling life. However, our ultimate goal should be to live in alignment with God’s will and to bring glory to Him, regardless of the length of our days.

Long Life is Not a Blessing, It's a Curse; A Conversation with a 92-Year-Old

Award winning filmmaker, writer and artist

'What on earth is the point of my life?' Molly (not her real name) asks me.

The frail, weary to her bone 92 year old looks at me as her shaky hands struggle to adjust a stubbornly troublesome hearing aid.

'All I do is wait for people to come and help me', she explains, 'from one carer to the next..'

She goes on to tell me that last night she was too weak to walk from the living room to her bed and spent a 'dreadfully uncomfortable night' sat up in her TV chair. 'I've had enough', she says quietly.

I arrived this morning as Molly had her twice weekly nurse visit to redress her sore legs with fresh bandages. High pitch screams of pain pierced right through me as I walked up the stairs to her flat.

Her feet have been a source of grief for many years but have worsened drastically over the past two. 'The pain is unbearable ' and the Dr started prescribing Morphine to help alleviate it.

'You poor thing', I say as I hold her hand, 'I could hear you screaming all the way from downstairs.. I thought a cat was being strangled..'

'I am tired of all of this', she says with her wise, ocean blue eyes gazing into mine, 'I've had enough'.

Desperate to raise her spirit I ask if she is looking forward to her coming 93rd birthday.

Her face lights up a little. 'Oh yes' she says with a cheerful, all be it faint spark in her eye. '..my carer will be taking me out to lunch.. If we can manage it that is.'

If they do manage to leave the flat, this would be such a rare occasion for Molly, it is better described as coming up for air and not an outing; hers is a thoroughly solitary existence.

Like so many in their 90's, 80's and 70's, her friends and close family members are long gone. The only people Molly sees now are the twice daily carers she pays for privately.

What does your carer do? I ask her

'The morning carer gets me out of bed, takes me to the toilet, gives me a good wash, helps me get dressed, cooks my breakfast and tidies up the flat if there is time.

The night carer gets my dinner ready, helps me wash and takes me to the toilet. She also gets my bed ready for me..my eyesight is terrible and I can only walk very slowly with a frame you see..'

So between the morning carer's visit at 9am and the 7-8pm evening one, you are on your own..what do you do for nearly 12 hours on your own? I wonder

'..When my eyesight was better I could read a little and watch television but I can hardly see anything now... so I just sit in my chair really..I try not to drink much so I don't have to walk to the toilet by myself'.

Is this what you imagined old age life to be? I ask curiously as she struggles with her hearing aid again.

'No', she says, I never thought it will be like this..I used to always wish people a long life but not anymore. It is not a blessing, it is a curse..I wouldn't wish this on anyone now.. I really envy my mum', she adds with a quivering voice, 'she died in her sleep'.

I wonder what she considers to be the worst thing about old age.

With her hearing aid firmly in place, the reply is swift to come; 'the loneliness, definitely the loneliness..no one to talk to all day, day after day..it drives you mad.. it is not human really..'

Loneliness IS tough I remark sympathetically

' I cannot tell you how painful it is', she says, voice still quivering, 'it eats you up inside and there is nothing you can do about it..I can't go out..that's the thing..if you are too weak to leave your house, even just to go to the shops, you cannot see anyone..'

Molly is right, social isolation does eat away at you. Recent research restates the obvious, naming it as the route to a speedier functional decline, dementia and Alzheimer's.

The only solution to social isolation is social interaction. A person like Molly needs to be regularly visited by someone to converse with, someone who will take her out, 'even if just to the local shop' and rekindle some of her long lost zest for living.

Michelle Mitchell, Charity Director General of Age UK, describes 'disability, illness, problems with finances and lack of access to transport' as the main separators of people from family, friends and local community.

Perhaps the solution is bringing the community to the isolated individuals who are decaying in their lonely existence; perhaps we should consider something along the lines of church groups in Nigeria coming to a home bound member's home. In the UK this could be a book reading group, music appreciation group or indeed a socialising group.

Age UK's Befriending Service goes some way towards this where volunteers are matched with a socially isolated elderly person to whom they provide vital, life saving companionship. Social services and health professionals must ensure lonely individuals are aware of such a service and know exactly how to use it.

In my next blog, I speak with Age UK to find out what the biggest UK charity for the elderly is doing to alleviate the suffering of this charmingly humble community.

Also on HuffPost UK Lifestyle:

Age UK Tips On Staying Healthy

Blog / Savannah Guthrie on the “Bonus Commandment” and Two-Part Salvation

Savannah Guthrie on the “Bonus Commandment” and Two-Part Salvation

What is a favorite Bible passage of yours and why?

Choosing your favorite verse is like choosing your favorite child – it’s kind of impossible! A verse I recite to myself often is, “ I love the Lord for he heard my voice; he heard my cry for mercy. Because of this, I will call on him all the days of my life .”

I also like, “ Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his mercies never fail. They are new every morning. Great is thy faithfulness. ”

I just noticed those two verses have a lot in common: mercy! I guess I always feel in need of God’s grace, and grateful to hear that it is unfailingly present.

In Chapter 3, you talk about hearing Mark 12:28-31 on your drive to work one morning, and you say, “a thought occurred, the kind of revelation that feels otherworldly and buzzes with electricity. In a way, a bonus commandment was hidden within the two that Jesus mentioned. Love the Lord God. Love your neighbor. And love yourself.” 

Have you found practical ways to put the “bonus commandment” into practice?

To be honest, it doesn’t come naturally to me. I still have that part of my upbringing that was drilled into me, “don’t think too highly of yourself” or “don’t get too big for your britches.” I am not one to sit around loving myself!

But I do believe, deeply and viscerally, that God loves me… and his loving me makes me more lovable to me. It helps me accept myself. I remember: if he can accept me, then so can I. So should I, in fact.  It is not a spiritual virtue to self-berate and self-condemn; in fact, when we do that we are substituting our own judgment for God’s. He is the judge of our souls, and because of the sacrifice of his Son, his judgment is love.

So really, this is how I can connect to this idea of loving myself. It isn’t about sitting in front of a mirror whispering sweet nothings to myself, giving myself a pep talk with motivational quotes. For me, self-love is about abandoning self-hate. Loving myself because God does.

Throughout the book, you talk about the practice of and practicing Lectio Divina .

• Do you have tips for people who would like to begin this practice?
• How do you stick with it when you are busy ?

This is something I only recently discovered when I signed up for an app called Hallow. It has a daily Lectio Divina that you can listen to – which I think is a great entry point for beginners like me. The narrator reads the verse three times to you, and you sit in silence in between each reading. You can choose how long you want the meditation to be, five minutes or up to thirty minutes!

I have an easily distracted, meandering mind. I’m not good at sitting still, but when I can do the Lectio practice, I have almost always encountered some wisdom from the passage just by sitting with it. I find it to be especially helpful with scriptures that are perplexing or off-putting. When you sit with them for a spell, in the presence of God, it is amazing how the thoughts that can come to the fore are often quite revealing and profound.

My advice is just to try it, even if it seems weird or your mind devolves into thinking about your grocery list or all the stuff you have to do. Just keep at it. Don’t give up. And whatever comes up in your mind as you sit there, no matter how odd it seems, consider whether it is something God is saying to you. I’ve been surprised and delighted many, many times during this practice at how a strange thought that pops into my head about the passage can lead to real revelation.

We ran across what may be extremely practical advice about prayer in Chapter 10 of Mostly What God Does . I’m paraphrasing, but you said that when your feelings “betray you,” you pray “with your imagination.”

• Can you describe that?
• You tie this back to Ephesians 3:20-21 , where it says, “Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us” – how did you discover or connect with that verse?

Full credit where it’s due: I got this idea from Shauna Niequist, an amazing writer and now a friend who attends the same church as I do in Manhattan. Her book is called, I Guess I Just Haven’t Learned That Yet . She talks about those moments that we all experience when we are having difficulty with someone close to us, or when we are facing a problem that seems so intractable we cannot find the words to utter in prayer.

Or sometimes, I’ve found that when I am upset about something, I may find my motives to be so mixed that I’m not sure the intent of my prayers are trustworthy and I don’t even know what to pray for. I write a lot about this in the book. (Spoiler alert: I think God wants us to just bring out our whole authentic selves to him – mess and all. That’s prayer.)

Anyway, Shauna talks about praying with your imagination when words or emotions fail you. It can be as simple as imagining the person you love in a place of wholeness, of flourishing, of joy. It is a way of bringing that person to God and bringing the best of your motivations to the forefront, and letting God handle the rest. And I think Ephesians 3:20 is a wonderful corollary when thinking about our imaginations in this way, for God is “able to do immeasurably more that all we ask or imagine.” It’s almost like God had this idea first…!

You write about being tasked with memorizing Psalm 23 as a young girl.  

• How has your understanding of that verse changed over time? 
• When do you turn to Psalm 23  now? 
• You say that God’s words are “meant to be ingested and absorbed into our bloodstream.” If someone isn’t sure where to start absorbing the Bible, is Psalm 23 the passage you would recommend for them to begin?

When I first encountered Psalm 23 , I was a little girl. My older cousin gave me the challenge of memorizing it – the old King James Version to boot! I can assure you I didn’t understand one word. I certainly didn’t get why it was such a famous passage. But I dutifully memorized it, and it stayed with me. Over the years, I have found the words to be peaceful, pastoral and comforting – in my book, I write about literally visualizing the scenes in times of worry and stress. Psalm 23 is a tranquil space for an anxious mind to sit a spell. 

I’ve also come to understand it to be an astoundingly compact and efficient description of our journey of life with God. God is our caretaker, our shepherd, always with us. He provides for our needs: for rest, for sustenance. The psalm also speaks of walking through “the valley of the shadow of death” – a straightforward recognition that life is not all peaceful pastures by trickling streams. We go through dark places. But we won’t be alone. Our path is purposeful, and our destination is assured.

I truly believe Scripture holds divine possibility, especially when mulled and meditated over. To be honest, I wouldn’t necessarily suggest Psalm 23 as an entry point – it can seem a bit abstract and impenetrable at first (it did to me, at least). On the other hand, sometimes it is those verses that seem most opaque and perplexing initially that hold the most treasures once we commit to going deeper.

You quoted Isaiah 30:15 , “In repentance and rest is your salvation.” You talk about how you discovered salvation has two parts. Can you expand on that?

I think we often emphasize the repentance part – and that is appropriate, of course. Recognizing where we have fallen short of love and our need for God’s grace is fundamental. But I think God also calls us to rest in our salvation – not to continually berate ourselves or repeatedly return to our failings.

Resting in our salvation, to me, means absorbing the goodness of God’s mercy and the completeness of our forgiveness, accepting that he sees not the old, flawed us but the new, beautiful creature we are in him. To do that, if we can, is transformative. It has the potential to change how we relate to ourselves and how we move through the world.

You turn to Scripture a lot in your book. What is the most eye-opening moment you experienced from reading the Bible while you were writing?

The biggest revelation came when I was writing an essay about the blessings of faith. “Bless” is one of those words that’s all over our culture (“too blessed to be stressed!” “have a blessed day!” “bless this mess!”), but I came to have a deeper understanding of what the word means in the context of our faith.

I knew the concept of being blessed couldn’t possibly refer to material things, or even necessarily being shown favor by God when we are the recipients of good fortune (although that certainly does happen!). If blessings simply meant “good stuff that happens to you,” how do we explain the beatitudes? (Blessed are the poor in spirit… blessed are the meek, blessed are the persecuted, etc…).

I came to understand that to be blessed in the spiritual sense is simply to receive more of God. So when I pray for a blessing – “God, please bless this travel I must take,” or “bless this difficult task before me” – I’m essentially asking for more of God’s supernatural presence and wisdom, not any particular outcome.

To be blessed is not to have all problems solved, it is to have more divine intervention and presence in a situation. When understood that way, the scriptures about blessings make much more sense to me.

“Loving strangers is hard.” That one sentence pulled from the middle of Chapter 28 rings with truth. Can you explain how God’s love transformed you to see the joy in helping others?

It is a lifelong pursuit to love and care for other humans. None of us are all that good at it. It isn’t necessarily our natural state of being. But when we truly contemplate how God loves us, and let that knowledge really penetrate us, our hearts are inevitably softened, and our horizons broadened; we see that all the love, grace, adoration and delight God has for us extends equally to every single human we encounter.

Every. Single. One.

Again, this is not a rapturous state I walk around in all the time. I live in the real world! But I try to remind myself: we are all God’s children. And if we are all his children, then every human is my brother or sister. We are siblings.

Mostly What God Does  has such a loving and encouraging message. It shows have spent a lot of time reading the Bible, in various versions, to communicate that message. What do you want people to get most out of reading your book?

I hope they receive it as a gentle call to be loved by God – and then, filled with that love, to go out and share it. I think that is the essence of our mission as followers of Jesus.

Often, people of faith recognize the service part. They are aware of our obligation to give and serve others.

But the book reminds us not to miss the first, integral step: fully absorbing and appreciating the love that God has for us. That is what imbues us with a generous spirit, where those acts of love and service are done not out of obligation, but out of an overflowing abundance of love that simply cannot be contained within. 

Mostly what God does is love you.

If we could believe this, really believe this, how different would we be? How different would our lives be? How different would our world be?

Unspooling personal stories from her own joys and sorrows as a daughter, mother, wife, friend, and professional journalist, the award-winning TODAY show coanchor and  New York Times  bestselling author explores the place of faith in everyday life.

Savannah Guthrie  is the co-anchor of NBC News’  TODAY , NBC News’ chief legal correspondent and a primary anchor for the network’s election coverage. She was named cohost of  TODAY  in 2012.

Savannah is a graduate of Georgetown Law, and a  New York Times  bestselling author for her book  Princesses Wear Pants  and the sequel  Princesses Save the World . She is the executive producer of the Netflix show “Princess Power,” based on the book series. Savannah is married to communications consultant Mike Feldman and the couple has a daughter, Vale, and a son, Charley.

Mostly What God Does   is published by HarperCollins Christian Publishing, Inc., the parent company of Bible Gateway.

Related posts:

• Latest Bible-Related Research
• God Is Our Shepherd: Meditate on the 23rd Psalm
• What Are the Beatitudes? Why Are the Beatitudes Important?
• Finding Freedom from the Fear of Not Having Enough: An Interview with Jack Alexander
• Self-Guided Tour of the Bible: An Interview with Christopher Hudson

Filed under General

Search the Blog

Search the bible.

Select all the topics you most frequently turn to the Bible to get help with:

• holy spirit

View Results

The Bible Gateway Blog features the latest news, announcements, and reflections from Bible Gateway . We hope what you find here will add to your understanding of and appreciation for the Bible.

Snapsolve any problem by taking a picture. Try it in the Numerade app?

Essay writing help has this amazing ability to save a student’s evening. For example, instead of sitting at home or in a college library the whole evening through, you can buy an essay instead, which takes less than one minute, and save an evening or more. A top grade for homework will come as a pleasant bonus! Here’s what you have to do to have a new 100% custom essay written for you by an expert.

To get the online essay writing service, you have to first provide us with the details regarding your research paper. So visit the order form and tell us a paper type, academic level, subject, topic, number and names of sources, as well as the deadline. Also, don’t forget to select additional services designed to improve your online customer experience with our essay platform.

Once all the form fields are filled, submit the order form that will redirect you to a secure checkout page. See if all the order details were entered correctly and make a payment. Just as payment is through, your mission is complete. The rest is on us!

Enjoy your time, while an online essay writer will be doing your homework. When the deadline comes, you’ll get a notification that your order is complete. Log in to your Customer Area on our site and download the file with your essay. Simply enter your name on the title page on any text editor and you’re good to hand it in. If you need revisions, activate a free 14-30-day revision period. We’ll revise the work and do our best to meet your requirements this time.

Stormy Daniels’ Admission on Witness Stand Sheds Light on Why Alvin Bragg Had Her Testify Against Trump

Politics Commentary

Biden’s and Thompson’s Disgraceful Weaponization of the Secret Service

   Politics Commentary

The Ways the Left Exploits Illegal Immigration for Electoral Gain: The BorderLine

International   Commentary

The Troubling Ramifications of UN Resolution on Quasi-Statehood for Palestine

  Law News

Illegal Alien Mom Arrested on Charges of Trying to Hire Hit Man Was Freed From ICE Detention in 2019

  Security Commentary

Who Will Tell Her Story?

  Security News

Where Are Unaccompanied Alien Children Going After Crossing Border?

  Security Analysis

China’s Land Grab

US Is Failing to Counter Threat of Chinese Land Ownership, Report Finds

  International   Analysis

She Spoke Out in Defense of China’s Uyghurs, Then China Abducted Her Sister

  International Commentary

Europe Must Stop Dragging Its Feet and Oppose Chinese Forced Labor

   Law Commentary

A Bill to Ensure Fair Representation for American Citizens

  Economy Commentary

‘Green’ Housing Mandates Push Americans Further Into the Red

  Politics Analysis

House of Drama: Speaker Johnson Survives Marjorie Taylor Greene’s Ouster Attempt

  Politics News

House Passes Bill to Restore Citizenship Question to Census

This Liberal Donor Pushes Left-Leaning Groups to Fund Efforts to Turn Out Voters

Roy, Lee Introduce Bill to Require Citizenship Proof to Vote

  Society Analysis

EXCLUSIVE: Federal Farm Credit Agency Plows Ahead With DEI, ‘Queer’ Farming 

EXCLUSIVE: DOJ’s Kristen Clarke Testified She Was Never Arrested. Court Records and Text Messages Indicate She Was.

EXCLUSIVE: She Survived a Death Camp. Facing Biden DOJ Charges, She Is Prepared to Die in Prison

   Politics News

EXCLUSIVE: Congressman Calls on House to Pass Bill Banning Earmarks

  Law Commentary

FBI Should Uncover Who Organized, Funded Radical Student Encampments

Education   Commentary

Columbia University Succumbs to the Mob, Cancels Graduation Ceremony

Biden’s Gaza-Refugee Import Scheme Deserves Drone Strike

Stories of Young People Whose Bodies Were Sacrificed on Altar of ‘Gender Ideology Cult’

  Society Commentary

‘SNL’ Gets It Right With Pro-Palestine Protest Sketch

  Energy   Analysis

How China’s Climate Agenda Threatens US

Health Care Commentary

The Dystopian Future Is Here

Katrina Trinko / @KatrinaTrinko / May 05, 2024

 In 2023, 138 Dutch people chose to end their lives because of psychiatric suffering. (Photo: ArtistGNDphotography/Getty Images)

Get your FREE digital copy of The Heritage Foundation’s Founders’ Almanac.

Once, we told stories of rescuing women in distress.

Now, we hand them a prescription for assisted suicide .

Two young women in the Netherlands, Jolanda Fun and Zoraya ter Beek, have recently done media interviews explaining their respective decisions to pursue euthanasia, despite being physically healthy.

Fun, who planned to end her life on her 34th birthday late last mont h , has struggled with depression for years. “Most of the time I just feel really sh—-,” she told The Times , a British newspaper, in an interview published April 14. “Sad, down, gloomy. People don’t see it, because that’s the mask I put on, and that’s what you learn to do in life.”

In the Netherlands, euthanasia has been legal since 2002. (The legislation passed in 2001, and went into effect the next year.) Fun started exploring the possibility two years ago, when a counselor mentioned it. For Fun, who has parents and a brother and a boyfriend, death still seemed like a better reality than staying alive.

“My father is sick, my mother is sick, my parents are fighting to stay alive, and I want to step out of life,” she told The Times. “That’s a bit strange. But even when I was seven, I asked my mother whether, if I jumped from a viaduct, I would be dead. I’ve been struggling with this my whole life.”

Meanwhile, ter Beek, 28 , told The Free Press she plans to die by assisted suicide this month. Ter Beek, who is autistic and suffers from depression, has a boyfriend she loves and with whom she shares a home and cats. Her psychiatrist told her, “There’s nothing more we can do for you. It’s never [going to] get any better,” ter Beek told The Free Press, saying those words triggered her decision to end her life.

Zoraya ter Beek is one of a growing number of people across the West choosing to end their lives rather than live in pain. Pain that in many cases can be treated. In 2022, euthanasia comprised 5% of deaths in the Netherlands. Read @rupasubramanya ’s investigation:… pic.twitter.com/YHh2Sk6DbN — The Free Press (@TheFP) April 2, 2024

Ter Beek and Fun are not alone in their decisions. (So far, no media outlets have confirmed that either one has died.) In 2023, 138 Dutch people chose to end their lives because of psychiatric suffering, according to Spanish newspaper El Pais , which reported that represented a 20% increase from 2022. The trend is undeniably upward: The Netherlands had a mere two assisted suicide deaths for mental health reasons in 2010 and 68 in 2019, according to the Times. 

In general, euthanasia has grown in popularity in the Netherlands over the past two decades. More than 9,000 Dutch people chose euthanasia in 2023, reports El Pais, noting that euthanasia deaths made up more than 5% of all deaths in the Netherlands last year.

Canada—which initially legalized assisted suicide in 2016 for those with terminal illnesses and later for those with a “grievous and irremediable medical condition”—is similarly experiencing an upward trend. Over 13,000 Canadians died by assisted suicide in 2022, a 31% jump from the 2021 numbers. In 2017, the first full year assisted suicide was legal in Canada, 2,838 people chose to die that way.

Canada was slated to further follow in the Netherlands’ path and allow assisted suicide for mental health reasons this year, but due to concerns over straining the medical system, it has postponed that to March 17, 2027.

If you value life, you should be worried.

Already in the United States, 10 states and the District of Columbia allow assisted suicide under certain circumstances. If mental health continues to deteriorate in the U.S., as unfortunately seems likely, we could well face advocacy for allowing suicide for the mentally ill.

Of course, mental illness is a “real” illness, and its suffering can be acute.

But there is a reason we fight so hard against suicide, try to help and encourage and to provide medical assistance to Americans who struggle with depression and anxiety and other mental illnesses.

Not only do we love them, and want them to remain in our lives, but we also know that as long as someone is alive, there is hope—hope that he or she might heal, fully or partially, from mental illness and be able to live life more joyfully, less burdened by rapacious negative emotions. That belief is hard to hold when you are struggling with depression, making it all the more critical that the non-depressed in society vociferously advocate for the value of life.

?? Jolanda Fun, qui est en bonne santé physique aux Pays-Bas mais qui veut mettre fin à ses jours par l'euthanasie parce que sa psychologie n'est pas bonne, mettra fin à ses jours en appelant ses amis le jour de son anniversaire. ?? Il a préparé une invitation pour ses… pic.twitter.com/PQlrazygjd — KocovichInsights (@kocovich) April 26, 2024

Furthermore, plenty of those who have suffered from depression or other mental illnesses have, as their health has improved, become grateful they did not die by suicide. “I am extremely thankful that I did not take my life,” Olympian medalist Michael Phelps said in 2018 when discussing his history of depression.

In a 2023 Washington Post essay , Billy Lezra described a planned suicide attempt.

“I’d been drinking whiskey mixed with flat Coke all afternoon to work up the nerve to jump in front of the train, and I was drunk enough that my plan felt within reach. I was 23,” Lezra wrote.

“Two months earlier, my mother had tried to take her life, and I had interrupted her attempt. This experience, compounded by years of depression and addiction, made me long to stop feeling. It’s not that I wanted to die, exactly, it’s that I didn’t want to live.”

But then “a wiry woman with pink hair and a titanium lip ring” asked Lezra to take a photo. By the time the photo was taken, the train was gone—and now, seven years later, Lezra remains alive.

Lezra cannot recall the face of the pink-haired woman, but “what has stayed with me is a feeling of sharp, profound gratitude.”

Statistics back up Lezra’s experience. About 90% of suicide survivors will not ultimately die by suicide , according to the T.H. Chan School of Public Health at Harvard University. That suggests that many depressed people do, in fact, get better, at least to some extent.

And what does it say about us as a culture that we allow people to end their lives, that we publicly support it?

As Western civilization further becomes divorced from its Christian roots, it’s perhaps not surprising that there is renewed interest in suicide. The belief that God gives life and that it is not ours to take is less widely held. In modern thinking, where the individual becomes a free agent encouraged to pursue his own truth and happiness, obedience to the timing of a Creator is about as unfashionable a virtue as it gets, especially when such obedience includes chronic suffering.

“In the absence of Christianity, suicide and euthanasia become, perhaps, the ultimate and extreme (if mistaken) vindication of human choice and human dignity: My life is mine, and I can end it when I want to. In this way, individual liberty is reduced to a kind of death cult,” wrote John Daniel Davidson in “ Pagan America .”

In addition to embracing individualism in our time, we constantly talk of kindness—but it is often a limp kindness, never deployed in tough times. Sometimes, the truest kindness is to fight for someone when she can no longer fight for herself.

Laws often more shape, than reflect, cultures. If the Netherlands had not legalized assisted suicide, perhaps both Fun and ter Beek would be trying new doctors, new treatments, and other ways to ease their very real suffering.

Instead, their government’s laws are telling them their lives may well not be worth living.

Join the millions of people who benefit from The Daily Signal’s fair, accurate, trustworthy reporting with direct access to:

• Intelligence from inside Washington
• Deep policy understanding from over 100 experts

Don’t have time to read the Washington Post or New York Times? Then get The Morning Bell, an early morning edition of the day’s most important political news, conservative commentary and original reporting from a team committed to following the truth no matter where it leads.

Ever feel like the only difference between the New York Times and Washington Post is the name? We do. Try the Morning Bell and get the day’s most important news and commentary from a team committed to the truth in formats that respect your time…and your intelligence.

Customer Reviews

Estelle Gallagher

Finished Papers

The narration in my narrative work needs to be smooth and appealing to the readers while writing my essay. Our writers enhance the elements in the writing as per the demand of such a narrative piece that interests the readers and urges them to read along with the entire writing.

receive 15% off

• On-schedule delivery
• Compliance with the provided brief
• Chat with your helper
• Ongoing 24/7 support
• Real-time alerts
• Free revisions
• Free quality check
• Free title page
• Free bibliography
• Any citation style

Well-planned online essay writing assistance by PenMyPaper

Writing my essays has long been a part and parcel of our lives but as we grow older, we enter the stage of drawing critical analysis of the subjects in the writings. This requires a lot of hard work, which includes extensive research to be done before you start drafting. But most of the students, nowadays, are already overburdened with academics and some of them also work part-time jobs. In such a scenario, it becomes impossible to write all the drafts on your own. The writing service by the experts of PenMyPaper can be your rescuer amidst such a situation. We will write my essay for me with ease. You need not face the trouble to write alone, rather leave it to the experts and they will do all that is required to write your essays. You will just have to sit back and relax. We are offering you unmatched service for drafting various kinds for my essays, everything on an online basis to write with. You will not even have to visit anywhere to order. Just a click and you can get the best writing service from us.

1555 Lakeside Drive, Oakland

Extra spacious rarely available courtyard facing unit at the Lakeside…

Types of Paper Writing Services

Standard essay helper.

Finished Papers

Susan Devlin

Diane M. Omalley

Advertisement

Supported by

Arizona Lawmakers Repeal 1864 Abortion Ban, Creating Rift on the Right

Two Republican state senators broke with their party to ensure final passage of the repeal. Gov. Katie Hobbs, a Democrat, is expected to sign it on Thursday.

• Share full article

By Jack Healy and Elizabeth Dias

Jack Healy reported from inside the State Capitol in Phoenix, and Elizabeth Dias reported from Washington, D.C.

Arizona lawmakers voted on Wednesday to repeal an abortion ban that first became law when Abraham Lincoln was president and a half-century before women won the right to vote.

A bill to repeal the law passed, 16-14, in the Republican-controlled State Senate with the support of every Democratic senator and two Republicans who broke with anti-abortion conservatives who dominate their party. It now goes to Gov. Katie Hobbs, a Democrat, who is expected to sign it on Thursday.

The vote was the culmination of a fevered effort to repeal the law that has made abortion a central focus of Arizona’s politics.

“We are standing in a moment of Arizona history,” said State Senator Anna Hernandez, a Democrat who called the repeal measure up to a vote on Wednesday.

The issue has galvanized Democratic voters and energized a campaign to put an abortion-rights ballot measure before Arizona voters in November. On the right, it created a rift between anti-abortion activists who want to keep the law in place and Republican politicians who worry about the political backlash that could be prompted by support of a near-total abortion ban with no exceptions for rape or incest.

The 1864 law had gathered dust on the books for decades. But it exploded into an election-year flashpoint three weeks ago when a 4-2 decision by the State Supreme Court, whose justices are all Republican-appointed, said the ban could now be enforced because of the overturning of Roe v. Wade.

After the repeal is finalized, abortions in Arizona will be governed by a 2022 law that prohibits the procedure after 15 weeks of pregnancy, and makes no exception for rape or incest.

But the repeal will not take effect until 90 days after the Legislature adjourns for the summer, meaning that the 1864 ban could still end up temporarily derailing abortion access in Arizona if a court allows it to go into effect. Arizona’s Democratic attorney general and Planned Parenthood Arizona have gone to court to keep the law from being implemented.

Two Republican state senators, T.J. Shope and Shawnna Bolick, joined with Democrats on Wednesday to force that repeal bill to a vote over furious attempts by far-right Republicans to block it.

Before casting her pivotal vote, Ms. Bolick stood up and began a long, deeply personal speech describing her own three challenging pregnancies, including one that ended with an abortion procedure in her first trimester because the fetus was not viable.

“Would Arizona’s pre-Roe law have allowed me to have this medical procedure even though my life wasn’t in danger?” she asked.

But Ms. Bolick, whose husband is one of the Arizona Supreme Court justices who upheld the 1864 law, also railed against Planned Parenthood and Democratic support for abortion rights. She suggested that her vote to repeal the 1864 ban could be the best shot for conservatives to thwart the abortion ballot measure.

“We should be pushing for the maximum protection for unborn children that can be sustained,” she said. “I side with saving more babies’ lives.”

As she spoke, abortion opponents watching from the public gallery erupted with angry shouts: “Come on!” “This is a disgrace!” “One day you will face a just and holy God!”

The repeal was a significant loss for the anti-abortion movement, which had relied on its outsized strength in the Arizona Legislature , The vote came hours after conservatives celebrated a six-week abortion ban that went into effect in Florida on Wednesday morning. The repeal leaves Republican lawmakers divided about whether to place their own more restrictive abortion measure on the ballot in November to compete with the constitutional amendment supported by abortion-rights groups.

Conservative activists had worked for years to elect and support anti-abortion proponents to the Legislature, enabling them to stand firm against outside pressure. But the narrow loss showed that they are vulnerable even in the places where they have built some of their greatest power, as their national political influence weakens.

Several anti-abortion Republican lawmakers made fiery speeches that framed the vote in spiritual terms. They equated abortions to Naziism and compared the repeal with the Sept. 11 attacks. They read graphic descriptions of later-term abortions. They quoted the Bible and made direct appeals to God from the Senate floor.

Some saw the repeal not simply as a rejection of anti-abortion principles, but an explicit rejection of Christianity.

Two choked up. Senator J.D. Mesnard, who represents a suburban swing district, held up his phone and played a sonogram recording of his daughter’s heartbeat.

“If I vote yes, these will be fewer, these heart beatings,” he said.

State Senator Anthony Kern, a Republican who was also among Arizona’s fake electors indicted last week in an election-conspiracy case, said the Senate was betraying its opposition to abortion, and predicted that the vote would pave the way for acceptance of pedophilia.

“This is innocent blood,” he said. “Why can’t we show the nation we are pro-life? We will have the blessing of God over this state if we do that. Our only hope is Jesus Christ.”

Democrats, for their part, mostly stayed silent or made brief statements supporting repeal.

After the repeal passed, State Senator Eva Burch, a Democrat, called it “one step in the right direction” and quickly pivoted to focus on the coming fight over the abortion ballot measure.

Ms. Burch became a particularly visible face of the abortion-rights movement in Arizona this year after she made an emotional floor speech to announce she needed an abortion to end a nonviable pregnancy. She criticized the two Republican defectors for their past votes on abortion issues but said, “They stood with us,” to overturn the 1864 ban.

“I’m grateful for that,” she said.

Legislators had tried twice to force a repeal bill to a vote in the Republican-controlled state Legislature, only to be blocked by conservative lawmakers. In tense scenes inside the State Capitol, Democratic lawmakers shouted “Shame!” at Republicans, and anti-abortion activists filled the chambers with prayers to uphold the law.

Then last week, three Republican members of the House joined with every Democrat in the chamber and voted to repeal the 1864 ban, sending it to the Senate for final approval.

Before the vote on Wednesday, anti-abortion activists gathered outside the Capitol in a last-ditch effort to urge lawmakers to reconsider. They prayed under a tree, read scripture over a loudspeaker and argued with abortion rights supporters.

Amirrah Coronado, 17, took the morning off from her high school classes, put on a light pink T-shirt and drove to the Capitol with her mother and siblings to support the repeal effort. As she walked toward the sun-splashed plaza, a woman yelled at her, “Abortion is murder!”

“I know how to speak,” Ms. Coronado said as an anti-abortion activist made a case that Arizona needed stricter abortion laws. “This law — it’s from when slavery was here.”

In another corner of the plaza, Marisol Olivia Valenzuela faced off with a cluster of anti-abortion demonstrators from Apologia Church, a Phoenix congregation that supports so-called “abortion abolition” that would criminalize abortion from conception as homicide.

“It’s murder,” Charlie Casteel, 16, told Ms. Olivia Valenzuela. She was not having it.

“You’re standing here as a male, but you will never have to make that decision,” she said. “I am totally pro-life, but why can’t we meet in the middle? Government shouldn’t govern our bodies. Government has nothing to do with this.”

After the Senate vote, Representative Nancy Gutierrez, a Democrat and the House minority whip, said she was excited that they “finally” got the bill to the governor’s desk. “It will absolutely save lives,” she said. “However, we are not finished. We still have an initiative to get on the November ballot that will codify abortion access in our Arizona Constitution.”

Ada Martin, 55, who owns her own educational consulting company and is on the board of Planned Parenthood Advocates of Arizona, heard the news of the repeal as she was celebrating her birthday. It was a positive development, she said, but noted the three-month lag time in which the ban could be in effect.

Passing the ballot measure in November is still her primary goal, she said.

“People tend to have a perception about abortion, but as far as I am concerned abortion is health care, and the communities that are most adversely affected, regardless of religious influence, are communities of color,” she said. “I am just worried about the ability for those individuals to make choices about their bodies.”

Jack Healy is a Phoenix-based national correspondent who focuses on the fast-changing politics and climate of the Southwest. He has worked in Iraq and Afghanistan and is a graduate of the University of Missouri’s journalism school. More about Jack Healy

Elizabeth Dias is The Times’s national religion correspondent, covering faith, politics and values. More about Elizabeth Dias