Are you struggling with getting older? Someone once said, “As you get older you will understand more and more that it’s not about what you look like or what you own, it’s all about the person you’ve become.”
When lamenting to a wise brother in the Lord about my aches and pains, frustrations, and yes even torment with not physically being able to do all the things I did when I was 40 or 50, he told me to begin a process of re-thinking aging. Yesterday’s normal may not be today’s reality. We desperately try to hold onto what we can no longer have. The rhythm and cadence of life must be different when we consider the aging process.
I am reminded of Genesis 18 when Sarah was listening to three visitors talking with Abraham. Her husband was 99 years old at the time, and these men were telling him about how he and Sarah would have a son out of whom an innumerable nation would flourish. When hearing these men talk about her becoming pregnant at age 90, she broke out in laughter.
Some reading this may feel a lot like Sarah, “What good can I do at my age?” When your pastor or a friend has asked you to serve in some capacity, you want to believe the age on your driver’s license rather than prayerfully consider the request. Usually it is not the hardening of the arteries that’s the problem, but the hardening of attitudes that keeps us on the sidelines. Maybe we give up on ourselves too soon.
Think about many of the biblical characters that had their best years of serving God after they were past 70 years of age.
- Adam enjoyed a long life loving Eve and loving the Lord.
- Enoch maintained a close daily walk with God.
- Noah believed and obeyed the Lord to build the ark.
- Job endured severe hardships, repented, and trusted God.
- Abraham believed God for the impossible.
- Joseph trusted that God was with him in the darkest of times.
- Moses and Aaron led the Israelites out of Egypt.
- Joshua took courage in God and conquered Canaan.
- Jehoiada led the kingdom of Judah back to the Lord.
- Isaiah and Daniel prophesied about the coming Messiah.
By anyone’s standards, these men were old when God used them so mightily. God can and does use people, even with physical limitations in far reaching ways that we might otherwise dismiss. The comic George Burns said, “You can’t help getting older, but you don’t have to get old.”
Scripture Reading: 1 Corinthians 12:1–11; Ephesians 4:1–16
Personal Application
- What gifts has God given you that you can still share with others?
- Who in your life needs your wise and godly counsel?
- How else can you serve God’s Kingdom?
Jim Grassi, D. Min. and Wendell Morton
We cherish any verse in Scripture that reminds us to keep focused and intentional about evangelism and discipleship. “But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry.” 2 Timothy 4:5