Jump Start # 920

Psalms 37:25 I have been young and now I am old, Yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken Or his descendants begging bread.

Today is my birthday. Yeah! Birthdays take on different meanings and feelings as a person gets older. When you are a kid, birthdays are about presents. Love presents. As you get older, it’s about spending time with family and reflection. That reflection ought to cause us to make some adjustments in life.
So here are a few of Roger’s reflections:

• My life is more than half over. In fact, if blessed, I may have only twenty or thirty years left on this place. That doesn’t make me sad. It makes me treasure time and be careful how I use it.
• There are some things that are just not going to happen now. Age, place in life and so forth causes a person to adjust and change dreams. The dreams of a twenty year old do not seem as important as the dreams of someone in their fifties. Don’t get stuck with old bucket lists. Adjust. Change. Don’t feel like you missed out. Find new adventures and dreams.
• God has been good to me, too good. There have been incredible doors opened and amazing spiritual giants that have come into my life and have made me a better person. God has kept me safe for a long, long time. Be thankful.
• Age shifts what is important to a person. In youth, it’s about getting things and being somebody. Later that changes to trying to make a difference for others. Helping others, in whatever way you can, means more to you the older you get. Do what you can.
• Walking with God has eliminated most regrets. Sure there are things that I would have done differently, but minor adjustments. The journey has been good. Life is sweet with God. Don’t fill your heart with junk. It only weighs you down.

• Building character affects everything around you. Things look differently when you walk with Christ. Patience, hope, trust and righteousness sure had color to a bland world.

• Incredible friends are mini vacations. I spent a few moments with some last evening. It wasn’t long, but it was rich. We need others. We need those who will shoot straight with us. We need those who will laugh, cry and just be there for us. God blesses us with friends. Cherish the good ones and honor your time together.
• Nothing beats Sunday. I just love Sunday. I love being in church buildings. I love singing. I love preaching. I love showing the greatness of our Savior. Sunday does something to me. I always know just how close we are to the next Sunday.
• There are too many things to do in life. A person can’t do them all. There are too many books to read. Too many places to visit. Too many “too manys.” So a person has to be selective. I give great thought to which books, shows, hobbies I pursue. A person can’t do it all. Be selective and pick out the things that will help you and make you a better person.
• A positive outlook sure lightens the load in life. Some are positive by nature. Some have to really work at it. There are always things to complain about. There are things that need fixing, changing, and improving. That’s the way life is. There are people who are not doing right. There are people who disappoint. When we focus on the negative things, it makes us negative on the inside. It’s like a constant cloudy day. Sunshine from within is a choice. It’s a way of looking at things. It motivates you, lifts you, and helps you.
• Having a purpose and a plan is essential. Not just the big plan, such as going to Heaven, but little everyday plans. That sets the direction you travel. The everyday “to do” lists keep you focused and gives you a sense of accomplishments. I can’t remember a day when I had nothing to do or nothing planned. I’m not wired that way. I get a lot done because of being organized. Wasting time is a curse not a blessing.
• Be useful. We all have talents and gifts. Use them. Grow them. Explore new ones. Find what works best for you and give it your all. Don’t cry about what you can’t do, find the joy and good in what you can do. That puts fuel in your tank and gives you something to do.
• Walk with God. Always. First. Last. Everything changes when you walk with God. When you see things from God’s point of view, things look differently. We need God. Trust Him. Love Him. Honor Him. Follow Him. This life is miserable and confusing without God.
• The future sure looks appealing when you are holding God’s hand. Things will get better when you have Heaven in your sights.

Thanks, for letting me reflect. Now, it’s time for this old guy to get to work and get about things.
Roger

Jump Start # 717

Psalms 37:25 “I have been young and now I am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken or his descendants begging bread.”

This wonderful passage brings together two great concepts and thoughts—the voice of experience and the amazing goodness of God. Sometimes we don’t recognize the blessings of the Lord. We ought to, but we simply fail to see them. The busyness of life keeps us running so fast that we don’t see answered prayers, opened doors, and the comfort from the Lord. This is not good, because it can make us ungrateful when we should be thankful and it can make us wonder why God isn’t doing things, when He is.

The voice of experience: I have been young and now I am old. Experience teaches a person things that books cannot. There is no fast track to go from young to old…it’s just living a long time. I like older people, our senior citizens. I like hearing about things long ago. I like looking at old stuff, not that I’d want to go back and use them, I just like looking at those things. One of the terms God uses for the leaders of His people is, “elder,” meaning older or experienced. We understand that in our military. The generals are older men who have combat experience. The captains of sports teams are not the rookies, but people who have played the game for a while. Experience teaches. Experience reminds. Younger preachers seem to have more fire in their belly. Older preachers seem to have more reason and understanding in their heart.

Sometimes the conflict within churches is a generational thing—a battle between the young and the old. The young want to go. They want to change. They want new. The old often fear change. They have witnessed where change without thinking has led to departures. A lack of understanding and cooperation has led to divisions in the church. The younger folks can learn from the older ones and likewise the older ones can learn a thing or two from the younger folks. The fear of the unknown or what could happen has become an excuse for some to do nothing.

I know some preachers in their 80’s who are still preaching fresh and practical sermons, who have embraced modern technology, and who are very effective in what they are doing. It is an honor to listen to such men. They have something to say. The years have made them kind, spiritual and approachable. Their knowledge of the Bible is so enormous that when they speak you’d think that they actually walked with Jesus, and in a spiritual way, they have! It is a blessing to see churches using men like this and not casting them out because they are old.

Walking with God for many years does something to a person. He sees the promises of God, the goodness of God and numerous times God has helped him. In the midst of a crisis, fear fills our hearts and we don’t know how we are going to get through it. God helps His people. He always does. The years pass and we forget about the crisis. Others have come and gone. In time, we have layers and layers of experience with God. Our prayers become richer and more thankful as the years pass by. God has been good to us.

I have been young and now I am old—is a blessing in itself. Not all could say that. Some don’t make it to that point. Those that do, ought to be better because of God.

I have been young and now I am old and I have not seen the righteous forsaken…here is a person who has witnessed the righteous for a long time. Some don’t do that, either. He has seen how God has been to His people. They have not been abandoned. When in the wilderness, God fed them. When facing enemies, God protected them. In famines, God provided for them. God’s will has never been overthrown. God’s enemies have never triumphed for long. God’s people have never been forgotten.

I know many, many people who started their walk with God when they were young. Now they are old. They are still walking with Him. This past year I have conducted the funeral of several Christians that fit this description. They were Christians for more than 50 years. I wonder how many sermons they heard…how many hymns they sung…how many Bibles they wore out…how many times they took the Lord’s Supper…how many prayers… They were young and then they were old, and they continued walking with the Lord.

Do you know some older Christians? Have you given them a hug recently and simply told them, “thank you.” Many of us are in congregations and worship in church buildings and are singing from song books that Christians have made available to us. A younger generation is enjoying the fruits of what an older generation has provided for us. Now it’s our time. If the Lord allows, we will be old someday. There are others coming behind us. We must secure the way for them, giving our time and our energy to make things right for them.

I was young and now I am old…

Roger