GOING STRONG AT 85 YEARS OF AGE...
One of my Biblical heroes is Caleb, who at 85 yrs. said, "I have the strength of a 40 year old and I am ready to take possession of the mountain I was promised."
Didn't Caleb experience the inevitable effects of aging that is common to man? I don't know many 85 yr. old men with that kind of vigor.
Sometimes when I look in the mirror in the morning, I see my dad. Often when looking at pictures of myself with others, I think, "Who is that old man?"
Staying young is obviously very important to many people as evidenced by the many techniques, methods and products offered to help one retain their youth. Much of it is directed at appearance, which means it could be just a facade, hiding what's going on underneath.
AGING OF BODY OR SPIRIT...
When I thought of this whole process, it made me happy to realize that even though our body ages, we don't have to age in spirit. Caleb, at 85, may have aged some physically, but he certainly had a young spirit. While my body reminds me in many ways that I'm not as young as I once was, my spirit is still young. I don't think "old". I don't know how to describe that, but I know it's true, and it's a great feeling. I'm still excited about life. I enjoy simple things, beautiful things, quiet times and social conversation. I am still creative with many projects on my list. I still love to learn new things and sometimes think about going back to college. And each new day is an exciting opportunity to walk and talk with the Father, to see what He is doing and saying.
The scripture speaks of the blessing and responsibility of growing older.
One of my Biblical heroes is Caleb, who at 85 yrs. said, "I have the strength of a 40 year old and I am ready to take possession of the mountain I was promised."
Didn't Caleb experience the inevitable effects of aging that is common to man? I don't know many 85 yr. old men with that kind of vigor.
Sometimes when I look in the mirror in the morning, I see my dad. Often when looking at pictures of myself with others, I think, "Who is that old man?"
Staying young is obviously very important to many people as evidenced by the many techniques, methods and products offered to help one retain their youth. Much of it is directed at appearance, which means it could be just a facade, hiding what's going on underneath.
AGING OF BODY OR SPIRIT...
When I thought of this whole process, it made me happy to realize that even though our body ages, we don't have to age in spirit. Caleb, at 85, may have aged some physically, but he certainly had a young spirit. While my body reminds me in many ways that I'm not as young as I once was, my spirit is still young. I don't think "old". I don't know how to describe that, but I know it's true, and it's a great feeling. I'm still excited about life. I enjoy simple things, beautiful things, quiet times and social conversation. I am still creative with many projects on my list. I still love to learn new things and sometimes think about going back to college. And each new day is an exciting opportunity to walk and talk with the Father, to see what He is doing and saying.
The scripture speaks of the blessing and responsibility of growing older.
12 The [uncompromisingly] righteous shall flourish like the palm tree [be long-lived, stately, upright, useful, and fruitful]; they shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon [majestic, stable, durable, and incorruptible]. 13 Planted in the house of the Lord, they shall flourish in the courts of our God.
14 [Growing in grace] they shall still bring forth fruit in old age; they shall be full of sap [of spiritual vitality] and [rich in the] verdure [of trust, love, and contentment].
15 [They are living memorials] to show that the Lord is upright and faithful to His promises; He is my Rock, and there is no unrighteousness in Him.
Amplified Bible (AMP)
His promise is the blessing of fruitfulness and the responsibility of being a living memorial to the faithfulness of God. We can do this by sharing testimonies to His faithfulness to us throughout our life.
Knowing this, I believe I can embrace the process of aging, even with it's frequent inconvenience. Besides all that, I'm not old...just older.
...Phil Thomas
Knowing this, I believe I can embrace the process of aging, even with it's frequent inconvenience. Besides all that, I'm not old...just older.
...Phil Thomas