Christian Crier
Want to know how to age gracefully? Do it with the Lord by your side. Every day we live is an opportunity to know Him more. The most exciting part is that God never ages. He remains the same beautiful, layered, complex, simple, exciting, peaceful, wild presence that he has always been. Worried about growing older? Shift your focus to learning more of Jesus every day, and watch all of the ways you’ll begin to feel young again. Read on for some truth on the aging process and God’s love for us at every stage of our lives.
Proverbs 16:31 Gray hair is a crown of splendor; it is attained in the way of righteousness.
If you have spent your years walking with God, and learning from Him, then you have earned every gray hair on your head. They should be celebrated and worn like a crown, as a testament that you are the living, breathing child of a King.
Isaiah 46:4 Even to your old age and gray hairs I am he, I am he who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you.
In the younger years, when lots of life’s biggest decisions are being made, it is easy to seek God’s guidance and assistance. But it is important to remember that He cares about every day of your life. He will carry you when you are too young to know you need it, and when you are too old to walk on your own. His sustaining love is forever.
Job 12:12 Is not wisdom found among the aged? Does not long life bring understanding?
Some life lessons come in an instant, and others must be learned from years of experience and growth. The older we grow, the more we learn about kindness, patience, heartbreak, love , and mercy. All of these experiences lead us to a deeper understanding of life’s seasons, and a greater wisdom of God’s presence through them all.
Deuteronomy 32:7 Remember the days of old; consider the generations long past. Ask your father and he will tell you, your elders, and they will explain to you
All generations have been entrusted with different lessons based upon the time they lived. There is much to be learned from those that have gone before us. God places people in our lives who can teach us these lessons- parents, grandparents, church elders-and they can explain so much about God. We just have to take the time and consideration to ask for help.
1 Timothy 5:17 The elders who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honor, especially those whose work is preaching and teaching.
Those who have devoted many years to serving the church, and proclaiming Christ’s message, are worthy of respect and honor. They have spent time pouring themselves out, preaching and teaching others what they, through time and experience, have learned. We honor their commitment to their church community, as well as their commitment to serving God.
Psalm 71:18 Even when I am old and gray, do not forsake me, my God, till I declare your power to the next generation, your mighty acts to all who are to come.
I believe this may be the prayer of many. Asking God to stay beside them, to remember them, throughout their lives. We live long enough to see God’s mightiness in many ways, and ache at the thought of someone not getting that chance. We hope that we can help others to know Him, as we have known Him. Once you know love like that, you just want to spread it out.
2 Timothy 4:7-8 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.
No one ever said that following Jesus would be easy. Daily, believers lose, struggle with, and abandon their faith. The ones who thought they were signing up for a breezy sprint are shocked when they discover that this race is long distance. Upon making this discovery, there are two options: Give up when you get past the easy part, or dig deep and continue on. The finish line may seem so very far away, but for those who have stayed in the race? They will be rewarded with a crown, and allowed to rest forevermore.
Conclusion
There is a common belief that we gradually become less useful as we grow older. That this world is made for the young. Perhaps that is so. But we are not of this world. When we live our lives for God, our journey here does not end until we take our final breath. Noah, Moses, Abraham-some of our greatest biblical examples-all went on some of their greatest adventures at a time when most would be settling into retirement. Should you be finding yourself feeling a little bit forgotten, overlooked, unappreciated…take care to remember that God will use you at any age, and any stage. There is no age limit to the way He works, and His is a love that never grows old.
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