This is Your Time!
For my entire adult life (almost 20 years now), I have had a passion to see older adults live their lives with Christ-centered meaning and purpose. Unfortunately, our society sometimes communicates to us that the later years are for slowing down and taking it easy. Perhaps you’ve been told that you are past your prime. But God’s Word tells us something much different.
A Biblical Example
If you look throughout the Bible you will see example after example of people that God used in significant ways…people who were in the second half of life. One of my favorites is the story of Caleb found in Joshua chapter 14. After years and years the Israelites are finally coming into the Promised Land. In verse 6 we come upon Caleb who recalls the promise God had made to him 45 years before to give him the land of Hebron and then in verse 10, Caleb says: “…So here I am today, eighty-five years old! I am still as strong today as the day Moses sent me out; I’m just as vigorous to go out to battle now as I was then. Now give me this hill country the Lord promised me that day.”
God is Using Older Adults
Throughout history, there have been stories of men and women just like Caleb, who have recognized that this is their time to make a major impact for God’s Kingdom.
Ronnie is a 65 year old man I met a few years ago. He retired at the age of 55 and shortly after this he went on his first mission trip. Now, ten years later, he has been on 11 mission trips, including 6 trips to Africa. On one of these trips to Zambia, Africa, Ronnie asked an 8 or 9 year old African boy if he could talk to him and his friends about Jesus. At first the boy said ‘no’ but then said, “if you’ll climb up in a tree with us old man then we will listen to you.” Zambia does not have very many older adults and the novelty of this white-haired man seemed to make these young people more open and receptive. Ronnie says with a laugh, “At my age, I wouldn’t climb up a tree for just anybody! But for the chance to share the gospel with these children I was more than willing. I have found that if you just make yourself available to God, then He will take care of all the excuses you have about why you can’t serve Him, even the excuse that you’re too old.”
So Much to Offer
Whether you are 55 or 75 or 95, God wants to do a significant work in and through you.
Don’t let the lies of this world keep you from living out your God-given purpose. You have time, experience and resources that are too valuable to waste. Your family needs you. Your church needs you. Your neighborhood needs you. This world needs you. So, make a commitment today to approach the later years of life as Paul did in Philippians 3:13-14, “…Straining towards what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”
