I'M TOO YOUNG TO BE THIS OLD

 

I am in my mid-fifties and I am already tired of this aging thing. The older I get, the more I relate to what George Burns once said, “At my age, flowers scare me”. A friend urged me the other day to invest in a stock that would triple its value every year. I told her at my age, I don’t even buy green bananas! My memory is not as sharp as it used to be. Also, my memory’s not as sharp as it used to be! Don’t laugh, I bet you repeat yourself too, if, you are in the process of aging as well! I feel like life is passing me by and my check engine light stays on all the time now. They say that there are two signs of aging. The first is, you forget things…and I can’t remember the second! However, I don’t need anyone to remind me of my age these days because, I have a bladder that does that! I’m just too young to be this old and my body and society is making me feel even worst about it. We live in a world that places a premium on being and staying young. We will have tummy tucks, face lifts until our ears meet each other, fitness trainers and fad diets to prove it. We spare no expenses in our desperation to preserve our youth and avoid aging. Yet in spite of all the effort we make to keep our vigor, the reality is that eventually we all slow down. The older I get the more I believe that we would all do better to feed ourselves on a steady diet of the words and promises of God. For they can do in us what no face lift or fad diet could ever do to enable us not only to survive, but even thrive in spite of the aging of our bodies. Even the Apostle Paul, for example, had lost some of the spring in his step, yet the hope he had in Christ still allowed him to write: "Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day" 2 Corinthians 4:16. When our steps get harder to take, we are encouraged not to grow weary or faint in our efforts and give up. Keep on keeping on. "Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will run and not be faint" Isaiah 40:30,31. The aging of our bodies accompanied by the slowing down of our strength and vigor have been a fact of life ever since Adam and Eve brought sin into the world by their rebellion against God. Because of their sin, Adam and Eve's bodies became mortal and the consequence of their sin was passed to every generation after them. Because we are mortal, we are subject to deterioration, disease, and finally death and decay. Since the cause of aging is ultimately found in sin, it is foolish to think that some kind of scientific wonder or medical miracle is going to unlock a secret to perpetual youth for us. There is only one remedy for aging, only one way to overcome the destructive effects of sin and that is through, Jesus Christ. Most often it is only during the dismal days of illness that we look back and realize how we had taken for granted the good health that we once had. And yet for some people sickness never subsides. It is always with them. Persistent illness can wear down even the strongest of people. While much of our health is determined and affected by a wide range of contributory factors from our environment, life situations, heredity and how we manage our personal lifestyle, we are still fighting a losing battle as we age. At best, we can enjoy a longer life if we take care of ourselves and the contributing factors are on our side. The worst thing that we can do is begin to compare ourselves to others and struggle with the age old question, “Why me God?”. The Gospel message is a message of hope not only in the hour of death but, it is far more than that. Jesus died in order that we may have life now, more abundantly. In Philippians 3:10 Paul says this, "... that I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;" Paul knew about aging and suffering, yet in spite of it all he found comfort in the gentle anticipation of his eternal life, in his own words he said, “My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better," Philippians 1:23

I googled aging with dignity the other day and 50,000 topics pulled up, I thought wow, looks like a lot of other folks are interested in this topic as well. Then I noticed something that they all had in common. They all ended with, “What are your last five wishes”?  I shut my computer down and said, I’m not ready to name them, yet! While I still think of myself as 18, my body, mind and patience have outgrown my way of thinking. Age is a funny thing. It’s funny how much attention you can draw to yourself no matter what your age. Last week our children and grandchildren ate dinner at a local restaurant and we learned real quick that the age of your children is a key factor in how quickly you get served. Our waiter came by our table and said, “Could I get you your check?”, we responded by saying, “How about getting a menu first?”.  Everyone ages over time, and eventually, everyone dies, it is the cycle of life. Benjamin Franklin said there were only two things certain in life, “death and taxes”. Jesus had answers to them both. In one of many attempts to plot against Jesus to discredit Him, the Pharisees sent some of their own disciples along with the Herodian’s to confront Jesus in a crowd of people in an effort to try and provoke an uproar over what Jesus would say concerning the taxes that the people were forced to pay to Caesar. Jesus rebuked them for their malice and responded with the most simple and profound answer to them by saying, “Therefore render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” Jesus answered the concern over death when He told May and Martha upon the death of Lazarus, "I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and whoever lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?" in John 11. And Martha, unable to rise to the full revelation that he was revealing, said, "Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, he who is coming into the world," That was as far as her faith could go, at that moment. But the moment that Lazarus appeared at the entrance of the tomb, everything changed. She would no longer simply believe that Jesus had come from God, but she would know that Jesus was God, that he had the power to overcome even death. It took the death of her precious brother to increase her reliance on Jesus. Sometimes, we ask God for healing when we may be needing something deeper that what we ask for. If you recall the story in Matthew 9 concerning the paralyzed man that was lowered down  through a thatched roof by his friends in order to get him to Jesus for healing. Once there, Jesus said to him, "Take heart, son; your sins are forgiven" Matthew 9:2. How disappointed the paralyzed man may have felt at that moment! He did not come asking forgiveness, but healing. The man knew what he wanted, but he didn't know what he needed. Jesus knew both his needs and his wants. And by granting forgiveness of sins first, Jesus showed the greater need for spiritual health. To prove his ability to meet all of his unseen spiritual needs, Jesus proceeded to then heal his body before all the people that were there. Even as God brought the greatest blessing of forgiveness for us all through the crucifixion of Christ, we can trust him to bring blessings for us from the least likely of places. Even sickness must serve God's purposes. He may use it to strengthen our reliance on him, sharpen our focus on heaven, or produce patience and perseverance in us. When the apostle Paul groaned repeatedly over his "thorn in the flesh," the Lord reassured him, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness" 2 Corinthians 12:9. Paul learned to rely more and more on the Lord's strength rather than his own, especially when he was at his weakest point. You, too can be confident that the Lord loves you consistently in your sickness and health. When Jesus doesn't grant us our immediate requests, we must humbly trust that he has even better things in mind for us. Isaiah 55:9 tells us, "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts,’ declares the Lord”. I am learning that eventually, he will answer my prayers by personally wiping every tear from my eyes and making everything new Revelation 21:4-5. No longer will I suffer with my old tiring body any longer,   For even my body will finally be made whole without the effects of sickness or sin. Like the song says, “That day is coming, when wrong will be made right   Meanwhile trust His promise that, "I know the plans I have for you... plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future" Jeremiah 29:11. May His will be done in your life and mine and may we stay as young as we can no matter how old we become.

Hold Fast,

Bren