Dear Ones,
Hope you are enjoying the weekend. We had a very full house at the Birthday party yesterday. Today friends are coming over this afternoon on their way home from Nevis whom we haven’t seen for some time.
Devotions from Judy’s heart
I love hearing from friends and getting pictures of their families. We find we are all aging and some have moved, declined and gone to assisted living. I read an article by Beth Ferguson, teacher and writer, and she relates how our culture seems to consider aging a problem to be solved or a disease we need to resist. We see all the advertisements claiming to help us be youthful again with miracle cures, drugs, exercises, ways to grow hair or have smooth skin, etc. But Ferguson gives us a better picture of aging as a holy vocation, an opportunity, a call to be a follower of Jesus and to pass on God’s ways to the next generation. Yes, we may have limitations, but it only lets others see how dependent we are on the Lord.

My dad never considered himself old and lived to be one hundred. Others who focused on being aged, he called old fossils! Of course, not everyone lives to be old, and many die young. Those who are blessed to get to retirement age have more time to serve the Lord, to help the needy, to be mentors. They can share the Lord with their grandkids and pass the baton to help the next generation know and trust the Lord.

The Psalmist said in Psalm 71:9, “But don’t turn me out to pasture when I’m old or put me on the shelf when I can’t pull my weight.” He tells God to be close to him and run to his side and in verse 18 says, “Now I’m telling the world your wonders; I’ll keep at it until I’m old and gray.” Even if we are disabled and not able to get around much, we can still share with others, text, send cards, etc. Many feel like they have become invisible as they can’t move quickly or speak in a strong voice any more, but they have much to teach others, for they have lived a life rooted in the Lord. At any age, we can all be models of faith and humbly show those younger in the faith how to persevere, grow and never give up.

Challenge for today: Thank the Lord for the age you are right now. Ask Him to help you learn from those ahead of you and also teach those who are beside or behind you.
Blessings on your weekend and prayers and love, Judy