So teach us to number our days,
that we may present to You
a heart of wisdom.
Psalm 90:12
My
friend, Joyce Parker, from Austin, TX had a cute saying on Face
book today that says:
“I
thought growing old would take longer.”
With
being of the years I am at the present time, I got a chuckle out of
that quote because without the humor, that quote is something I wish
I had thought up first. As brief as it is, it is quite deep in
profundity for those of us who have reached our senior years.
Not
only are Brian and I retired, but we live in a small community that I
would guess to be full of other retirees. There are also many folks
in our area who have lived in these mountains for many years. I
won't even mention all of the retirees who come here to spend months
or who come for vacations often bringing grandchildren. We seem to
be surrounded by age. Even the mountains seem to resound with great
pride that they are much older than any of us and that is putting it
mildly.
I'm
just finishing teaching a ladies Bible study on Sunday evenings prior
to the evening service. We've had a wonderful and convicting time
looking at Peter's life and then on into the two epistles he wrote.
Not being as young as I used to be, teaching is more wearying for me
than in past years. As much as I love teaching, I must admit to
looking forward to the end of this series even though I will miss our
delightful group of ladies. The subject came up as to when WE are
going to do this again. Upon checking with our assistant pastor that
such a subject had come up, I made the comment, “Don't people know
that I'm an old lady?” With his dry wit and rather sober look, he
replied, “Hmmm, I wonder if God is aware of that.”
In
our Bible study, I have encouraged the ladies in the group regarding
our maturing process and how easy it is during “golden years” to
forsake spiritual maturing. By now, me and many
of
my ladies have been in more Bible study groups than we can count. We
probably have notebooks from seminars and conferences on closet
shelves and on bookcase shelves we have long ago forgotten about.
Our heads are full of Bible facts that may have yet to dribble down
to heart level. Spiritual maturity doesn't have a certain age
attached to it. Knowing the Bible from cover to cover, book by book,
fact by fact, doesn't necessarily change lives. The older we become,
we can become spiritually lazy, forsaking the continuing growth in
Christ that pleases Him.
I
have known younger women in their 30's and 40's whose spiritual
maturity has often put me to shame. I have seen their enthusiasm for
the things of the Lord that results from their avid learning as much
about His Word as possible. They then prayerfully apply those things
in their every day lives. At the same time, I've also seen
Christian women in their 60's and older who go through all of the
spiritual routines they should, but have given up serving the Lord or
putting the things of God into every day practice. They say, “Let
the younger women do it now...I put in my time.” I have found
nothing approving in Scripture of that attitude.
Through
the years, I have had friends go on to Heaven at young ages. In many
cases, I have to say that many of them seemed to cram more into their
briefer years than many seem to live out in their golden years. I
recently saw a quote from Abraham Lincoln:
“In
the end, it's not the years in your life that count,
it's the life in your years.”
it's the life in your years.”
Despite
our ages, are we living our years to the fullest? Some, while a
young mom may not be able to be out and about doing what others do
who don't have the ties of home. However, for now, God has a
ministry for that young mom. Even women in the middle of a mid-life
crisis doesn't have a pass from growing and serving. There are still
things to be done for others and for the Lord. I know women who feel
put on a shelf right now because of various health situations. Even
on that shelf, God is there and still can bring others our way who
need to see Jesus in their lives. God never wastes a thing...not a
moment or crumb of our lives. No matter the age or situation, our
years are to be full of life in Christ.
By
the way, my friend Joyce I mentioned in the beginning is one of those
ladies who retired after working as a nurse in an Austin hospital for
years. If anyone deserved retiring to a rocking chair, she would be
one of those people. For her, it was the beginning of serving the
Lord as intently as anyone I know. She's been in the church choir
for years, works with the International ladies program at her church,
been involved in the ladies ministry and is one of those folks that
can be called on when needs arise. Even though she's been in the
hospital now for some time with a bone infection, Joyce still
ministers with her sweet, Godly spirit as she reaches out from a
hospital bed through her computer and people contacts where she is.
As can be for any of us, God can use us no matter where we are or the
conditions we face.
The
key for any of us no matter the age is to find our strength in God
and His Word. We can rely on the Holy Spirit to teach us and direct
us as well to live and learn as we should. Keep in mind that I'm not
just talking about busy-ness. Lots of women are busy, but who aren't
really living life that benefits themselves or others. The things
that count are the things that we do as unto the Lord. For some,
those activities may be in the home while for others, serving others
in a multitude of other areas are their callings. The key is living
to our fullest in relationship with the Lord, growing in Him while
serving Him right where He puts us. He will make
His plans clear. Meanwhile, we are to serve Him well and thus, live
life year by year to its fullest.
One
of my prayers from Psalm 71:18 is:
And
even when I am old and gray,
O God, do not forsake me, until
I declare Your strength to this generation,
Your power to all who are to come.
O God, do not forsake me, until
I declare Your strength to this generation,
Your power to all who are to come.
AMEN
and AMEN
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