It is a poor man who has not honor, but before you do a deed, think how you will think back upon it when old age comes. Do nothing that will shame you.”
–Louis L’Amour (The Man From the Broken Hills)
“Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.”
“Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.”
–2 Timothy 4:8 (NKJV)
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The second portion of Psalm 92 is “Time for rest and reflection brings self-renewal.” (George O. Wood) So often in life we are too busy going, going, going, that we don’t reflect enough upon where we’re going and the goodness of the Lord on the way. Too often we get too busy with the going that we don’t focus enough on the Lord.
9 — For behold, Your enemies, O LORD, for behold, Your enemies shall perish; all the workers of iniquity shall be scattered.
10 — But my horn You have exalted like a wild ox; I have been anointed with fresh oil.
11 — My eye also has seen my desire on my enemies; my ears hear my desire on the wicked who rise up against me.
12 — The righteous shall flourish like a palm tree, he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon.
13 — Those who are planted in the house of the LORD shall flourish in the courts of our God.
14 — They shall still bear fruit in old age; they shall be fresh and flourishing,
15 — To declare that the LORD is upright; He is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in Him. (NKJV)
Yesterday we attended the 80th birthday of a friend. Annie and I were talking with her and one of us mentioned that even though the body wastes away, the bones ache and grow weary the mind, especially regarding the things of the Lord and the Lord Himself stay invigorated. The “horn” represents strength, and the “fresh oil” is the picture of joy in the midst of labor and work. The oil is cleansing from the dirt and grime of the world.
We live in the present, in the midst of this world of evil. We look back at the past and what do we see? Perhaps regret, perhaps lessons learned, but more and more I see the goodness of the Lord. How He has kept me in the midst of troubles and concerns. How His grace is sufficient. How I might not have seen the blessings at the time, but looking back, I see them in abundance. But wait! Look forward, even in old age amidst the aches, pains, and sufferings the best is yet to come. God wants us to be vital and praise Him through old age until the end of days. Those who are aged can look and not only see, but know that we are rooted and grounded in the Lord.
At church yesterday, we had a missionary who related that when he visits his home church he is always asked by his well-meaning friends, “When are you going to retire?”
His answer was, “When I am dead.” For he understands that we do not stop in our endeavor to work for the Lord. Oh, I might not “clog in the kitchen” anymore, but I still can do something for the Lord, if nothing else praise Him. I mentioned what Annie’s uncle used to say. He was a missionary to the Yaquis and also started Teen Challenge in Mexico. When he was declared too old for the foreign mission field he told us that he didn’t retire, he just retreaded, and became a chaplain at a prison in Pennsylvania. Aged, yes, but the work continues until Jesus comes.
“O happy servant, he,
In such employment found!
He shall his Lord with rapture see,
And be with honor crowned.”
–Philip Doddridge
—————————————–
The second portion of Psalm 92 is “Time for rest and reflection brings self-renewal.” (George O. Wood) So often in life we are too busy going, going, going, that we don’t reflect enough upon where we’re going and the goodness of the Lord on the way. Too often we get too busy with the going that we don’t focus enough on the Lord.
9 — For behold, Your enemies, O LORD, for behold, Your enemies shall perish; all the workers of iniquity shall be scattered.
10 — But my horn You have exalted like a wild ox; I have been anointed with fresh oil.
11 — My eye also has seen my desire on my enemies; my ears hear my desire on the wicked who rise up against me.
12 — The righteous shall flourish like a palm tree, he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon.
13 — Those who are planted in the house of the LORD shall flourish in the courts of our God.
14 — They shall still bear fruit in old age; they shall be fresh and flourishing,
15 — To declare that the LORD is upright; He is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in Him. (NKJV)
Yesterday we attended the 80th birthday of a friend. Annie and I were talking with her and one of us mentioned that even though the body wastes away, the bones ache and grow weary the mind, especially regarding the things of the Lord and the Lord Himself stay invigorated. The “horn” represents strength, and the “fresh oil” is the picture of joy in the midst of labor and work. The oil is cleansing from the dirt and grime of the world.
We live in the present, in the midst of this world of evil. We look back at the past and what do we see? Perhaps regret, perhaps lessons learned, but more and more I see the goodness of the Lord. How He has kept me in the midst of troubles and concerns. How His grace is sufficient. How I might not have seen the blessings at the time, but looking back, I see them in abundance. But wait! Look forward, even in old age amidst the aches, pains, and sufferings the best is yet to come. God wants us to be vital and praise Him through old age until the end of days. Those who are aged can look and not only see, but know that we are rooted and grounded in the Lord.
At church yesterday, we had a missionary who related that when he visits his home church he is always asked by his well-meaning friends, “When are you going to retire?”
His answer was, “When I am dead.” For he understands that we do not stop in our endeavor to work for the Lord. Oh, I might not “clog in the kitchen” anymore, but I still can do something for the Lord, if nothing else praise Him. I mentioned what Annie’s uncle used to say. He was a missionary to the Yaquis and also started Teen Challenge in Mexico. When he was declared too old for the foreign mission field he told us that he didn’t retire, he just retreaded, and became a chaplain at a prison in Pennsylvania. Aged, yes, but the work continues until Jesus comes.
“O happy servant, he,
In such employment found!
He shall his Lord with rapture see,
And be with honor crowned.”
–Philip Doddridge