Growing Old is Not For Sissies

 


Today I made a little trip down to Orangeburg to visit one of our Lexington Baptist Church VIPs who has been living at The Oaks Methodist Home for several years.  I went to deliver to her a poinsettia as is our practice for all our VIPs every December.  This year we have 42, and it is my joy and priviledge to go with one of our LBC Deacons and visit and pray with two VIPs every week.  So today I visited Damiana Snelgrove and she is 91 years old.  She is originally from Puerto Rico. 

Tonight I was doing some research for my Sunday School lesson on the "Oak at Shechem" where Jacob buried all the idols of the Children of Israel in Genesis 35:4.  It just so happened that my PC "accidentally" picked up on "The Oak" search and opened up a document that is stored on my PC.  It is a devotional that my dad delivered at The Oaks on January 19, 2012. My dad who was a pastor in Orangeburg (and prior to that at FBC West Columbia which is now River District Church that Lexington Baptist is helping to rebuild!) passed away at 91 years old in 2018 and is buried in Orangeburg next to my mother.

 

Devotional at The Oaks, Jan. 19, 2012 by Rev. Burt Williams

    My devotional message today is a little bit different.  I’m sure most of you are aware that just a few weeks ago Dr. Billy Graham turned 93.  In the introduction to his latest book entitled “Nearing Home: Life, Faith and Finishing Well”—his opening sentence is “I never thought I would live to be this old.”

    How many of you here today have said the same thing?  (Yes. I thought so.  So have I!)

    He writes:  “All my life I was taught how to die as a Christian, but no one ever taught me how I ought to live in the years before I die…

Whoever first said it was right: old age is not for sissies.  Get any group of older people together, and I can almost guarantee what their favorite topic of conversation will be:  their latest aches and pains.”

   He concludes the introduction like this:  “Someday our life’s journey will be over.  In a sense we all are nearing home.  As we do, I pray that you and I may not only learn what it means to grow older but, with God’s help, also learn to grow older with grace and find the guidance needed to finish well.”

As a Sr. Adult Pastor, I am so blessed to have my father's legacy to carry on in ministry to our "seasoned citizens."  And I simply add my "Amen" to my father's devotional words.  The only word I can add to this is: "Prepare for take off! Make sure you are finishing well and are prepared to step into eternity."



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