Can any good thing happen to the aged?
Can any good thing happen to the elderly? Being Abram means that we don’t give up hoping when we are too old to hope.
For years my passionate desire was to introduce people to Jesus in such a way that they would trust him with their whole lives. I lived with this desire daily, worked towards it and dreamed nightly of the joy I would have when people who did not know Jesus would learn of him and enter into the profound happiness he causes. It didn’t happen! My congregations were always full of believers and only rarely did someone unconnected with the faith come to the service, or even to the pastor's office. When all hopes of continuing my ministerial career had disappeared I gave up the hope. I found comfort in the fact that I had cared well for the people who already believed, giving them spiritual food from the scriptures. I told myself that I was a feeder of sheep not a fisher of men. Relinquishing my heart’s desire brought weariness into my life; sorrow and detachment became my daily companions. A very sick person, someone who had been called to the ministry and studied for the ministry but who was too sick to follow her calling, spoke to me unexpectedly. “Dreams are renewable she said.” With some relief I reflected that is easier to live with a dream that doesn’t have time to come true than to live in bitter disappointment. So I allowed myself to dream again. In that way I am being Abram, I am hoping, and praying and believing. It is true that the disappointment I felt on finally leaving the ministry without the fulfillment of my spiritual desire still hurts my heart but I would rather have a hurting heart than a broken heart.
Most of us who are older adults have hurting hearts. Some of the pain, like the sorrow that follows the death of our spouse will never go away; instead it accompanies us on our journey. The other kind of pain; disappointment about what we didn’t do and what we didn’t become – that hurt could turn into joy. Indeed many people have told me about such a thing happening in their lives. Write to this blog and tell us about it, we will publish your story in the blog.
Why is it possible that the grief of old age can turn into joy? It is possible because God always does the unexpected. Another reason is that God is still answering the prayers that other people prayed about us. A major reason is that God’s goodness is demonstrated when we are made happy. So I live like Abram and call Sarai my mother, and wait for my desire to be granted.
My four year old grandson likes to imitate adults; He overheard a conversation which he quickly repeated to me. “My whole life, said this four year old, I’ve wanted a silent dishwasher, and now I’ve finally got one.” Our whole lives are a lot longer than his, but ‘finally getting one.” That could happen.
Why did, why do, I so desperately long to introduce people to Jesus, because I want them to be as happy as I am, I know that when people know Jesus they do a lot of good and not a lot of evil. Leading one person to Jesus will not only make one person happy but will make that person’s community happier too.
For years my passionate desire was to introduce people to Jesus in such a way that they would trust him with their whole lives. I lived with this desire daily, worked towards it and dreamed nightly of the joy I would have when people who did not know Jesus would learn of him and enter into the profound happiness he causes. It didn’t happen! My congregations were always full of believers and only rarely did someone unconnected with the faith come to the service, or even to the pastor's office. When all hopes of continuing my ministerial career had disappeared I gave up the hope. I found comfort in the fact that I had cared well for the people who already believed, giving them spiritual food from the scriptures. I told myself that I was a feeder of sheep not a fisher of men. Relinquishing my heart’s desire brought weariness into my life; sorrow and detachment became my daily companions. A very sick person, someone who had been called to the ministry and studied for the ministry but who was too sick to follow her calling, spoke to me unexpectedly. “Dreams are renewable she said.” With some relief I reflected that is easier to live with a dream that doesn’t have time to come true than to live in bitter disappointment. So I allowed myself to dream again. In that way I am being Abram, I am hoping, and praying and believing. It is true that the disappointment I felt on finally leaving the ministry without the fulfillment of my spiritual desire still hurts my heart but I would rather have a hurting heart than a broken heart.
Most of us who are older adults have hurting hearts. Some of the pain, like the sorrow that follows the death of our spouse will never go away; instead it accompanies us on our journey. The other kind of pain; disappointment about what we didn’t do and what we didn’t become – that hurt could turn into joy. Indeed many people have told me about such a thing happening in their lives. Write to this blog and tell us about it, we will publish your story in the blog.
Why is it possible that the grief of old age can turn into joy? It is possible because God always does the unexpected. Another reason is that God is still answering the prayers that other people prayed about us. A major reason is that God’s goodness is demonstrated when we are made happy. So I live like Abram and call Sarai my mother, and wait for my desire to be granted.
My four year old grandson likes to imitate adults; He overheard a conversation which he quickly repeated to me. “My whole life, said this four year old, I’ve wanted a silent dishwasher, and now I’ve finally got one.” Our whole lives are a lot longer than his, but ‘finally getting one.” That could happen.
Why did, why do, I so desperately long to introduce people to Jesus, because I want them to be as happy as I am, I know that when people know Jesus they do a lot of good and not a lot of evil. Leading one person to Jesus will not only make one person happy but will make that person’s community happier too.
posted by Jessie Coates at 10:17 PM
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