Age is age, and heart is heart, and too much of the first seems never to bother the second, if there’s plenty to start with.”
–J.V. James (Old)
“Now also when I am old and grayheaded, O God, do not forsake me, until I declare Your strength to this generation, Your power to everyone who is to come.”
“Now also when I am old and grayheaded, O God, do not forsake me, until I declare Your strength to this generation, Your power to everyone who is to come.”
–Psalm 71:18 (NKJV)
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I don’t know, perhaps I was just raised differently. I was taught a simple faith; a faith that said to trust in the Lord no matter the problem that comes. When the storms of life hit, trust in the Lord. When the battle rages, trust in the Lord. When life seems more than you can handle, trust in the Lord. In saying this I want to respond to an article that I read. It was a good article, and the person (unknown) is probably very well-meaning, however I want to look at it from my perspective and raising. The gist of the article was how to have joy in old age, or as the writer put it, “golden years.”
First of all, there is the loss of friends. I remember Granny and Pappy reading the obituaries to see who had died. Not that they were morbid, but just interested in who was still around. This article says that “old folk” spend much of their time grieving. Perhaps the problem is that I don’t know what “grieving” is. When my Dad died it hit me hard, mainly because of the circumstances. I grieved. I was at the side of my Mom when she died. It was hard, but it was good that she passed on. The person wrote, “My therapist explained that the loss of friends is deep because we know we don’t have enough time to make another lifetime friend.” Hmmm, my therapist–the Holy Spirit–has a different view, that there will be a reunion in heaven. The article relates, that there’s no one to shop with, go to the movies with, or eat out. Well, I never did that much anyway, and not with a friend, except the eating out part. Perhaps their comfort resides with their friends rather than with their Friend.
The second loss of joy is the loss of work. People look forward to retirement. Well, I’ll quote my wife’s Uncle John, a Christian does not retire, they just retread. The article says that fear grips the older person as prices go up. I always figured, and still do, that the Lord will take care of me. Unrealistic? I don’t think so. He is my heavenly Father and He will provide all I need. We live on a “fixed income,” but the Lord has and will always provide. The author says that “our brains–once so active–now feel like mush.” Maybe for some, but I’m constantly writing and there is so much in the Bible to study. The loss of peers and friends are missing because we are no longer working. New places, new church, new community, new friends.
Number three: the loss of purpose. “We feel like slugs as we sit on the couch and play with the TV remote,” so says the author. Duh!! If a person doesn’t have the proper purpose in life before retirement I can see where this might be a problem. Purpose–“glorify God and enjoy Him forever” is our purpose. That doesn’t change. If we realize that all we do should be for the glory of God then what is the problem that a person might have in retiring (retreading)? He says to find another way to “define our significance.” Significance is doing the will of the Lord whether you are and in whatever capacity you might find yourself. The steps of a righteous man are ordered by the Lord, (Ps 37:23) or is that too hard to understand?
The fourth item–loss of health. This hits all of us. It may tend to put us on the sidelines, as the author states, but what is our job on the sidelines? To learn, to cheer, to give advice, to exhort, to comfort–there is plenty to do. Medical bills–trust in the Lord. Pain and doctor visits…oh my. Yes, they can get to a person. I started yesterday with a month of visiting with doctors–all kinds. Age does bring pain and aches and groans and moans, but through it all we are to trust in the Lord. I remember my Grandma, who was in tremendous pain in her legs, would sit in her rocker, praising the Lord. “Oh, the pain is terrible, but I know the Lord won’t give me more than I can handle, so I know I can handle this.” Foolishness or faith? Annie’s Dad, with both legs amputated, would visit others in the home because they didn’t have people to come visit them.
Now here is one I don’t get–the loss of hope. I won’t go into the things that were mentioned in the article, but how can a person of faith lose real hope? I know that the devil will attack trying to discourage, trying to bring accusations, trying to get you to doubt, but then go to the Word. Our hope is in Him. Sing the great hymns, if not out loud, then within your soul. “For I know Whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able…”, which is also a great verse to meditate upon. (2 Tim 1:12). Maybe if you find yourself in this situation read the hymns, read the hope that is in the Scriptures.
Life happens, and with that the certainty of death will come. However, it does not have to be doom and gloom. I will not continue, but will just mention the other facets that rob our joy: loss of memory, loss of faith, loss of dreams, loss of passion, then the final one, piles of losses. Are these real? They can be, but instead of a therapist or being overly medicated–go to the Holy Spirit. Isn’t He there for us, or was that only in our vibrant, passionate days? Paul, when death was approaching, said that it was better for him to go be with the Lord. Perhaps we need a fresh vision of our heavenly homeland. As we need help to take a step off a curb, why not lean on the arms of the Holy Spirit. As I’ve said many times in the “Echo” — He is the God who is there.
Yes, old age can be rough and I’m getting there (ha–that’s a joke). But to lose faith, I dare not. To not have hope is unthinkable. Oh, I thank God, for the teaching of my childhood and youth that has carried me all through my life. This is not to bring discouragement or despair to anyone. The article has some good advice, but remember, I am writing this from my perspective; it may be from an old fence post, but it serves me well. I trust in the Lord! “Even to your old age, I am He, and even to gray hairs I will carry you! I have made, and I will bear; even I will carry, and will deliver you.” (Isaiah 46:4, NKJV)
—————————–
I don’t know, perhaps I was just raised differently. I was taught a simple faith; a faith that said to trust in the Lord no matter the problem that comes. When the storms of life hit, trust in the Lord. When the battle rages, trust in the Lord. When life seems more than you can handle, trust in the Lord. In saying this I want to respond to an article that I read. It was a good article, and the person (unknown) is probably very well-meaning, however I want to look at it from my perspective and raising. The gist of the article was how to have joy in old age, or as the writer put it, “golden years.”
First of all, there is the loss of friends. I remember Granny and Pappy reading the obituaries to see who had died. Not that they were morbid, but just interested in who was still around. This article says that “old folk” spend much of their time grieving. Perhaps the problem is that I don’t know what “grieving” is. When my Dad died it hit me hard, mainly because of the circumstances. I grieved. I was at the side of my Mom when she died. It was hard, but it was good that she passed on. The person wrote, “My therapist explained that the loss of friends is deep because we know we don’t have enough time to make another lifetime friend.” Hmmm, my therapist–the Holy Spirit–has a different view, that there will be a reunion in heaven. The article relates, that there’s no one to shop with, go to the movies with, or eat out. Well, I never did that much anyway, and not with a friend, except the eating out part. Perhaps their comfort resides with their friends rather than with their Friend.
The second loss of joy is the loss of work. People look forward to retirement. Well, I’ll quote my wife’s Uncle John, a Christian does not retire, they just retread. The article says that fear grips the older person as prices go up. I always figured, and still do, that the Lord will take care of me. Unrealistic? I don’t think so. He is my heavenly Father and He will provide all I need. We live on a “fixed income,” but the Lord has and will always provide. The author says that “our brains–once so active–now feel like mush.” Maybe for some, but I’m constantly writing and there is so much in the Bible to study. The loss of peers and friends are missing because we are no longer working. New places, new church, new community, new friends.
Number three: the loss of purpose. “We feel like slugs as we sit on the couch and play with the TV remote,” so says the author. Duh!! If a person doesn’t have the proper purpose in life before retirement I can see where this might be a problem. Purpose–“glorify God and enjoy Him forever” is our purpose. That doesn’t change. If we realize that all we do should be for the glory of God then what is the problem that a person might have in retiring (retreading)? He says to find another way to “define our significance.” Significance is doing the will of the Lord whether you are and in whatever capacity you might find yourself. The steps of a righteous man are ordered by the Lord, (Ps 37:23) or is that too hard to understand?
The fourth item–loss of health. This hits all of us. It may tend to put us on the sidelines, as the author states, but what is our job on the sidelines? To learn, to cheer, to give advice, to exhort, to comfort–there is plenty to do. Medical bills–trust in the Lord. Pain and doctor visits…oh my. Yes, they can get to a person. I started yesterday with a month of visiting with doctors–all kinds. Age does bring pain and aches and groans and moans, but through it all we are to trust in the Lord. I remember my Grandma, who was in tremendous pain in her legs, would sit in her rocker, praising the Lord. “Oh, the pain is terrible, but I know the Lord won’t give me more than I can handle, so I know I can handle this.” Foolishness or faith? Annie’s Dad, with both legs amputated, would visit others in the home because they didn’t have people to come visit them.
Now here is one I don’t get–the loss of hope. I won’t go into the things that were mentioned in the article, but how can a person of faith lose real hope? I know that the devil will attack trying to discourage, trying to bring accusations, trying to get you to doubt, but then go to the Word. Our hope is in Him. Sing the great hymns, if not out loud, then within your soul. “For I know Whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able…”, which is also a great verse to meditate upon. (2 Tim 1:12). Maybe if you find yourself in this situation read the hymns, read the hope that is in the Scriptures.
Life happens, and with that the certainty of death will come. However, it does not have to be doom and gloom. I will not continue, but will just mention the other facets that rob our joy: loss of memory, loss of faith, loss of dreams, loss of passion, then the final one, piles of losses. Are these real? They can be, but instead of a therapist or being overly medicated–go to the Holy Spirit. Isn’t He there for us, or was that only in our vibrant, passionate days? Paul, when death was approaching, said that it was better for him to go be with the Lord. Perhaps we need a fresh vision of our heavenly homeland. As we need help to take a step off a curb, why not lean on the arms of the Holy Spirit. As I’ve said many times in the “Echo” — He is the God who is there.
Yes, old age can be rough and I’m getting there (ha–that’s a joke). But to lose faith, I dare not. To not have hope is unthinkable. Oh, I thank God, for the teaching of my childhood and youth that has carried me all through my life. This is not to bring discouragement or despair to anyone. The article has some good advice, but remember, I am writing this from my perspective; it may be from an old fence post, but it serves me well. I trust in the Lord! “Even to your old age, I am He, and even to gray hairs I will carry you! I have made, and I will bear; even I will carry, and will deliver you.” (Isaiah 46:4, NKJV)