Starting all over again

 

One day I was walking the track at Carolinas Medical Center-NorthEast Health and Fitness Center and it was obvious I was not going very fast. There were two guys really burning up the track and they passed me a number of times.

As I am getting older, I realize there is no way of reaching the point where I once was and being able keep up with the younger ones on the track. Considering my age and stamina, I must continue to do the very best I can and not worry about others. I can only perform as God sees fit. Should I be sad? No! For you see, God gave me the opportunity to excel at one time. My goal is to work as hard as I can and keep healthy as God permits.

We can be sure most of us are not like Caleb of the Bible. At the age of 85, he went to Joshua for his inheritance promised by Moses. He said, “I am as strong today as I was at 40” and ready to fight as he did then. He asked for the land of giants, the hardest land of all to conquer. Caleb indicated the Lord would be with him and help him defeat the enemy. Joshua granted Caleb’s request. Caleb was successful because of his trust in the Lord.

The same God in whom Caleb trusted may not let us maintain the physical strength Caleb had at 85 years of age. He will still be with us and help us to keep going, knowing our strength comes from the Lord. “The Lord is the strength of my life of whom shall I be afraid.” We may be weak, but God is strong. We may not be able to keep up with our neighbor, but we will finish and God will be there unto the end. When we are tested, remember the words of the old hymn, “Only trust him, only trust him.” We have trusted him to save us. Now we can trust him to sustain us in all the endeavors of life.

Isaiah wrote, “But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.” Age did not stop Caleb and it will not stop us. Unless we have some health problems that prevent us from going, we must step out and do something for God. I have had a couple accompany me to South Africa who were more than 75 years old. They never faltered along the way because they knew they were doing God’s will and had the desire to trust him to the utmost. When we returned, they were happier than all the rest.

We do not have to go across the seas but can do missions in our local area. I have found the nursing homes to be one of the most enriching ministries I have undertaken. Yes, some of the residents are as old as we, but they cannot go any more and need our help. Our local hospital has over a hundred volunteers, I am sure our local medical center has something we can do to assist the patients. 

As with Caleb, God was not through with him and he is not through with us. He wants us to step out and say as Isaiah, “Send me o Lord. Send me.