Usefulness

Those that are planted in the house of the LORD shall flourish in the courts of our God. Even in old age they will still produce fruit; they will remain vital and green. Psalm 92:13 & 14

Late one afternoon during our travels in the Bundaberg region of Queensland we came across this old shed in the middle of the sugarcane fields.  It made such an attractive picture in the setting sun that we stopped to snap a memory. 

As I got to thinking about this shed later I mulled over the fact that though it was old and very rustic, it was obviously still useful to the owner who could well have replaced it with a shiny new shed.  If he had done so we would not have stopped to take a photo.  So where did this thought take me?

It is easy for those of us approaching retirement, for some it comes even earlier in life, to begin to feel a bit like a rustic shed and wonder if we will be of continuing use in God's kingdom. This is even more of a question if we have been involved in ministry for some years.  We wonder if there is a place for us in this 'youth-focused' world we live in, and if so, where do we fit? 

One of my favourite scripture passages is the one above.  It has long been my desire to still produce fruit in my old age and obviously that is the expectation of our Father.  To do that we need to be planted in or committed to the house of God....His church.  Even if we are 'rustic' we are still to be useful and even attractive in our rusticity. 

My shed in the cane fields was old, but it had experience and a story or two to tell if it could speak!  Also it was obviously still useful as a shelter or it would have been replaced.  As we grow older we need to remind ourselves that we still have wisdom to share and shelter to offer to those who are on an earlier part of their journey through life.

I think the secret to being useful in old age is to remain available and inviting. Be someone in the body of Christ and in your neighbourhood who is approachable and even attractive, someone who people want to be around.  Then there will be opportunities to offer wisdom and 'shelter' to those who are struggling or questioning in the difficult times of their life.

For those who are still young and vital, remember Solomon, the wisest man who ever lived.  He had listened to his teachers in his youth, and then in his old age he offered his wisdom through the book of Proverbs.  Be like Solomon, be ready to seek wisdom from those who've 'been there and done that'.  Learn from their wisdom (which has often been learned from their mistakes), and perhaps you can avoid some pitfalls along the way. 

Prayer:  Lord, thank you for the encouragement of your word that teaches us that we can always have a place of usefulness in your Kingdom.  Help me fill my place effectively no matter what stage of life I am in.  Amen

Trapped

 But today I am freeing you from the chains on your wrists. Come with me to Babylon, if you like, and I will look after you; but if you do not want to, then don’t come. Look, the whole country lies before you; go wherever you please.”  Jeremiah 40:4

Sometimes we can feel trapped; by circumstances, sickness, debt or even a relationship that has turned sour. What we do in those times is crucial to our future as we can see in many of the stories in the Bible. As I have been reading through the book of Jeremiah I wonder how often he felt trapped. He really was a 'prisoner of the Lord' as a prophet who had to bring some very severe warnings to God's people. At times it did get a bit too much and he stopped giving God's message but when he did it burned within him (Jeremiah 20:9); he had to continue to be obedient.

The apostle Paul also spoke of himself as a prisoner of the Lord (2 Timothy 1:8), not free to 'do his own thing' but subject to God's will in all things. If anyone could be justified in questioning God's love and mercy Paul could. He suffered beatings, shipwecks and other hardships (2 Corinthians 6) in his journey with Jesus Christ but he later said that he counted "all things loss for the surpassing knowledge of knowing Jesus Christ." (Philippians 3:8).

When we are truly sold out to God, we can never be truly trapped because we are fully free when we are in His hands.  I urge you to read the story of Jeremiah in the early verses of chapter 40 because it is such a great example of how God looks after his people who are obedient and faithful to His cause.  Jeremiah had prophesied disaster upon the Israelites.  He told them that the Babylonians were coming to take them into exile and the day came when this word was fulfilled.  Jeremiah was found in chains by the Babylonian commander.  Obviously he had heard of Jeremiah's prophecies and advice to God's people.  Here was Jeremiah among all the other prisoners and he was hand-picked from among them and SET FREE.  He was told that he had the freedom of the land, he could do whatever he wished and go wherever he liked.  Not only that the commander gave him provisions and a present!

Sometimes we find ourselves trapped in a spot through no real fault of our own.  In such circumstances it is important to maintain an attitude of trust in our faithful God.  He will free us at the right time.  In the meantime take the opportunity to learn the lessons from the situation and add it to your store of wisdom.  It may be that you get to help someone else through their time of feeling trapped.  As you submit to God in it you will surely grow in grace and in the knowledge of your loving God.

Prayer: Heavenly Father,  when I feel trapped please help me to trust you to bring me through that time and into freedom again.  Help me to gain wisdom and understanding from everything that happens to me so that I can be a help and a blessing to others.  Amen

Purpose

When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, The moon and the stars, which You have ordained,What is man that You are mindful of him, And the son of man that You visit him?
Psalm 8:3-4

On our recent visit to the Cosmos Centre in Charleville, Queensland we stood amazed, again, at the incredible expansive wonders of our universe and the minuteness of our world in it all.  As we peered at the incredibly diamond-like Jewel Box star cluster, beheld the shining rings of Saturn, then looked at the craters and 'seas' on the bright, almost full moon, we understood afresh the wonder that the psalmist had when he said,  "What is man that You are mindful of him....?"  That is the question indeed. 

We have pondered that in the days since and remained amazed that our creator God could take such a vital and personal interest in our world which, in the scheme of things is just a speck in the Milky Way Galaxy.   Not only that but the wonder that God should take such a personal interest in each individual upon this planet!  Really we are nothing in the whole scheme of things, yet His word tells us that we are of incredible value to God.

The apostle Peter writes of the temporary nature of this world we live in.  He speaks of a time when our world will pass away - the heavens being on fire and the earth melting with fervent heat (2 Peter 3:10).  How amazing that he could write that almost 2000 years ago, when knowledge of the universe was far less developed.  Today we understand that the universe is indeed in constant change, that stars and planets are born and 'die'; and blackholes devour  all that comes into their gravitational pull.  The book of Hebrews tells us that this One who created the universe came in human form to speak to us (Hebrews 1:2); in fact to die for us because we were dead in our sins and he came to bring us life. He did that because   "It is not his desire that any should perish, but that all should come to him and live." (2 Peter 3:9).  We are to live meaningful lives, finding our place and purpose in this world, and living to the glory of God in this short time that we call life.  Are you doing that?

Prayer:  Glorious and awesome Creator and Saviour, help me to begin to grasp again the wonderful truth that I have a place and purpose in your universe TODAY.  Help me to live in a way that will please you and bring fulfilment to me.  Amen

Special thanks to my dear friend Pat Gentry who took this beautiful moon shot from her lakeside home in Texas, USA this week and 'just happened' to email it to me.  You were fulfilling His purpose, Pat!