Daily Living for Seniors

[Judy Harder]

Who can discern his errors? Forgive my hidden faults. Keep your servant also from willful sins; may they not rule over me. Then will I be blameless, innocent of great transgression. --Psalm 19:12-13

Time-lapse photography compresses a series of events into one picture. A photo such as this was published in National Geographic once. The photo was taken from a Rocky Mountain peak during a heavy thunderstorm, and the picture captured a brilliant lightning display that had taken place throughout.

The time-lapse technique created a fascinating, spider-like web out of the individual bolts. They all looked interconnected, but you could definitely see each bolt as it was in its uniqueness.

In such a way, our sin presents itself before the eyes of God. Where we see only isolated or individual acts, God sees the overall web of sin. What may seem insignificant--even sporadic--to us and passes with hardly a notice creates a much more dramatic display from God's panoramic view.

The psalmist wrote, "Who can discern his errors? Forgive my hidden faults. Keep your servant also from willful sins; may they not rule over me. Then will I be blameless, innocent of great transgression."

Sin is truly deceptive (Heb. 3:13), divisive (Isa. 59:1-2), and deadly (Rom. 6:23). And it is destructive to the believer if not recognized (John 8:24).

Sin is sin--no matter how big, small, or sporadic it may seem. We must constantly remain pure and holy before the Lord, asking Him to forgive our transgression every day--those that we know and those that we don't. Thank God He sent his Son, Jesus, to cover those sins by His death on the cross so that we might have freedom through salvation in Him!

PRAYER CHALLENGE: Ask God to make you aware of every sin in your life, so that you can strive to rid yourself of it by the blood of Jesus Christ and live holy before Him. Thank Him for salvation and forgiveness of sins through His death on the cross.

[Judy Harder]

Be merciful to me, O Lord, for I am in distress; my eyes grow weak with sorrow, my soul and my body with grief. --Psalm 31:9

Author Edgar Jackson describes grief:

"Grief is the silent, knife-like terror and sadness that comes a hundred times a day, when you start to speak to someone who is no longer there.

"Grief is the emptiness that comes when you eat alone after eating with another for many years.

"Grief is teaching yourself to go to bed without saying good night to the one who has died.

"Grief is the helpless wishing that things were different when you know they are not and never will be again.

"Grief is a whole cluster of adjustments, apprehensions, and uncertainties that strike life in its forward progress and make it difficult to redirect the energies of life."

Few things are as painful as grief--especially when having to adjust to the loss of a spouse. Even though we all know that death will one day come to each one of us, we still can never be prepared enough to deal with the sense of loss and intense sadness that comes when death takes a loved one.

If you are dealing with grief, then you can find healing in a grief recovery group through your local church, senior center, or hospital. There are others out there who have dealt with grief and mended from the loss of a loved one before. Begin searching for that person with whom you can share your thoughts, feelings, and tears.

Finally and above all, seek healing in the arms of the Lord and His Word. It's only natural to ask Him "Why?" and "How come?" when someone we love passes away. But He is the ultimate Healer of our hearts and sovereign in His timing.

PRAYER CHALLENGE: Ask God to give you strength to take steps forward toward healing if you are experiencing grief. Pray that He would give you someone to share with in your journey.
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[Judy Harder]

He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. --John 1:10

Actor Cary Grant once told a story of how he was walking along a street when he met a man whose eyes locked with his. The man immediately got excited and said, "Wait a minute, you're...you're...I know who you are. Don't tell me! Uh...Rock Hud...no, you're..."

Grant thought he'd help the man out, so he finished the man's sentence: "Cary Grant."

The fellow responded, "No, that's not it! You're..."

Cary Grant was clearly trying to identify himself to the man by plainly giving his name, but the fellow had someone else on his mind. The man couldn't accept who Grant was even though he clearly offered his identity.

John said of Jesus: "He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him." Even when Jesus identified Himself as the Son of God--the Messiah--the response was not a welcomed recognition. Instead, it led Jesus to the cross on which He was crucified for the sins of man.

Today, people are being fed the various identities of Jesus by religious experts, false prophets, and church historians--who at times skew the spiritual perceptions of even believers. The world does not recognize or know Jesus, and they are feeding anyone who will listen to their so-called definitions of who He is.

However, the Word of God plainly states who Jesus is. As believers, it is our responsibility to share with the lost world the truth and identity of Jesus Christ. Determine today to make the name and personhood of our Savior famous!

PRAYER CHALLENGE: Ask the Lord to make solid your knowledge of who Jesus is so that you can give firm answers to those who do not know Him. Pray that God would empower you to make His name famous in all that you say and do, so that you can make an impact.

[Judy Harder]

As apostles of Christ we could have been a burden to you, but we were gentle among you, like a mother caring for her little children. We loved you so much that we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well, because you had become so dear to us. --1 Thessalonians 2:6-8 

From 1986 to 1990, Frank Reed was held hostage in a Lebanon cell. For months at a time, he was blindfolded, living in complete darkness, and chained to a wall, kept in absolute silence.

Reed was beaten, made ill, and tormented, but he felt the most hopeless because it seemed that no one cared. He said in an interview with Time magazine, "Nothing I did mattered to anyone. I began to realize how withering it is to exist with not a single expression of caring around [me].... I learned one overriding fact: caring is a powerful force. If no one cares, you are truly alone."

Christians are never truly alone because we are fortunate to have God's gracious watch care over our lives, as well as that of the Church. This type of caring can provide the strength needed for a believer to endure anything.

Do you know someone who feels as though no one cares for them? Can you think of a few people right now who are living in loneliness? We have been called as believers to minister to those who are lonely. And in turn, we never have to be lonely because there are other believers who will care for us.

Remember the promise of Jesus: "I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me" (Matthew 25:40).

PRAYER CHALLENGE: Ask the Lord to open the doors of opportunity for you to pour out love, care, and concern for someone who needs it, just as Jesus did.
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[Judy Harder]

Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. --Colossians 3:12

A man waiting in between flights at an airport went to a store and bought a small package of cookies. He then sat down in the waiting area to read his newspaper. Gradually, he became aware of a rustling noise next to him. From behind his paper, he was shocked to see a neatly dressed woman helping herself to his cookies sitting in the next seat.

Not wanting to cause problems or make a scene out of the situation, the man leaned over and took a cookie himself from the package. A couple of minutes passed and then came more rustling. The woman was helping herself to another cookie!

By this time, the man was so angry he had a good mind to tell her off for digging in his things. Then, as if to add insult to injury, the woman broke the last cookie into two pieces, pushed half across to the man, ate the other half, and left.

Still fuming when his flight was announced, the man opened his briefcase to get his ticket. And to his embarrassment, there he found his package of unopened cookies!

How wrong our assumptions can be sometimes. Christ has called us to demonstrate kindness and love toward others in all situations--even those such as the one mentioned above.

"'Let...the wise man boast...that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight,' declares the LORD" (Jeremiah 9:23-24).

If the Lord delights in kindness, so should we. In any situation, remember to take hold of and possess the qualities of kindness and brotherly love that our Lord demonstrates so you can be an effective witness to others (see 2 Peter 1:5-8).

PRAYER CHALLENGE: Ask the Lord to remind you to practice kindness toward others and to be an effective witness in all situations.

[Judy Harder]

Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior, who daily bears our burdens. --Psalm 68:19

In the Philippines, the driver of a carabao wagon was on his way to the market when he came upon an older man carrying a very heavy load. The younger fellow took compassion on the older man and invited him to ride in the wagon. Gratefully, the old man accepted.

After a few minutes, the driver turned to see how the man was doing, but to his surprise he found the older man still straining under the heavy weight of his load in the bed of his wagon. He had not taken the burden off his shoulders.

Christ offers rest to all who will trust in Him completely. How simple is that? Any burdens, worries, or fears can be handed over to Jesus. However, so many times we refuse to give up our heavy loads and, as a result, constantly strain underneath the weight of it.

Jesus said, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls" (Matthew 11:28-29).

Scripture also teaches us to help carry the burdens and ease the loads of our brothers and sisters in Christ (see Galatians 6:2). If you know someone who is carrying weighty burdens, then show him or her compassion and help bear the weight by praying with and ministering to that person.

If it's you that's carrying a heavy load of burdens today, then hand them over to Jesus and fully accept the rest that He offers. Don't let Satan add more weight to your pack. Simply trust Jesus and give it to Him.

PRAYER CHALLENGE: Ask God to take away the burdens that are weighing you down today. Pray that He would empower you to help remove the burdens from others' lives as well.
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[Judy Harder]

The path of the righteous is level; O upright One, you make the way of the righteous smooth. --Isaiah 26:7

For many years, The Wide World of Sports television program broadcast the "agony of defeat" by showing a painful ending to an attempted ski jump. The skier was in good form as he headed down the jump, but for no apparent reason, he tumbled head over heels off the side of the jump and bounced off the supporting structure.

What viewers didn't know was that the skier chose to fall. He explained later that he started going too fast down the ramp. Midway down, he realized that if he completed the jump, he would land beyond the safe landing area, which could have been fatal. Because of his change in direction, he only suffered a headache from the tumble.

To change one's course in life can be a dramatic and sometimes painful experience. And no matter your age, life will always bring about changes in your path. But sometimes a change of course is better than a fatal landing in the end.

For the believer, Scripture says "the path of the righteous is level" (Isaiah 26:7). The Bible lists numerous verses on following in the footsteps of the Lord and His righteousness.

Proverbs 16:9, "In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps." And Psalm 37:23:24 states "If the LORD delights in a man's way, he makes his steps firm; though he stumble, he will not fall, for the LORD upholds him with his hand."

When it happens, change may come as a shock to you, and it may be perceived as defeat to others. But if you are following the course the Lord has called you to, then you will ultimately experience victory.

PRAYER CHALLENGE: Ask God to guide your steps in the way of righteousness--even if it involves a change of direction.

[Judy Harder]

Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. --Romans 5:3-4

The Bible exhorts over and over again to be filled with godly virtues and the Holy Spirit. But what does this mean exactly? How do we know if we are full of goodness when we are full of sin, for example?

Think for a moment about a sponge. Let's say you pushed down with your finger ever so slightly on a sponge and water came running out. You could immediately assume that water filled the interior pockets of the sponge, right?

The same is true of people in general. You can tell what fills a person on the inside by what comes out under pressure and in every other situation. As believers, we should always fill our hearts and minds with goodness, godly virtues, and the Holy Spirit.

Paul said, "I myself am convinced...that you yourselves are full of goodness, complete in knowledge and competent to instruct one another. I have written you quite boldly on some points, as if to remind you of them again..." (Romans 15:14-15).

If someone were to push a pressure point in your life, what would come spilling out? Would it be filth and ungodly characteristics or holiness and goodness? 

Always be filled with the Holy Spirit and demonstrate godly virtues in every situation. Be prepared for the Lord to test your heart from time to time (see Proverbs 17:3). "...We speak as men approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel. We are not trying to please men but God, who tests our hearts" (1 Thessalonians 2:4).

PRAYER CHALLENGE: Thank God for demonstrating His love and holiness to you, so that you can be a witness to others. Pray that He would fill you with goodness and saturate your heart and mind with His Word, so that your life will pour out godliness to others--even when the pressure is on.

[Judy Harder]

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. --Hebrews 13:8

When American author Lloyd C. Douglas was a university student, he lived in a boarding house. Downstairs on the first floor was a retired music teacher who lived in a small apartment.

Every morning, Douglas claimed they went through the same ritual. He would come down the steps, open the old man's door, and ask, "Well, what's the news?"

The old man would pick up his tuning fork, tap it on the side of his wheelchair, and say, "That's Middle C! It was Middle C yesterday; it will be Middle C tomorrow; it will be Middle C a thousand years from now. The tenor upstairs sings flat, the piano across the hall is out of tune, but my friend, that is Middle C!"

The old man had discovered one thing in his life upon which he could always depend--Middle C. For Christians, the one constant and absolute in this life, of which there is no shadow of changing, is Jesus Christ.

The Bible says that "because God wanted to make the unchanging nature of his purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised, he confirmed it with an oath. ... We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure" (Hebrews 6:17, 19). God sent His Son to die on the cross so that we might have eternal life with Him. He made a promise, and He kept it.

Because of this, we can rest assured that God will never change. He is ever-present when trouble comes barreling in. He is all-powerful to do exactly as He has promised. And He is all-knowing, and we should never worry because He is in control. He is the same "yesterday and today and forever."

PRAYER CHALLENGE: Thank God for being the constant reality in your life.

[Judy Harder]

[Jesus said]: "If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. ... If they persecute me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also. --John 15:18-20

What is a Christian? In the Letter to Diognetus, dating back to the second century, an anonymous writer described Christians:

"Christians are not differentiated from other people by country, language, or customs; ...they do not live in cities of their own, or speak some strange dialect. ... They live in both Greek and foreign cities....They follow local customs in clothing, food, and the other aspects of life. But at the same time, they demonstrate to us the unusual form of their own citizenship.

"They live in their own native lands, but as aliens. ... They marry and have children...but they do not kill unwanted babies. They offer a shared table, but not a shared bed. They are passing their days on earth, but are citizens of heaven. They obey the appointed laws and go beyond the laws in their own lives.

"They love everyone, but are persecuted by all. They are put to death and gain life. They are poor and yet make many rich. They are dishonored and yet gain glory through dishonor. ... They are mocked and blessed in return. They are treated outrageously and behave respectfully to others.

"When they do good, they are punished as evildoers; when punished, they rejoice as if being given new life. They are attacked by Jews...and are persecuted by Greeks; yet those who hate them cannot give any reason for their hostility."

If you are a believer, the Bible commands you "...not [to] conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind..." (Romans 12:2). And you can expect the world to hate you as a result (see 1 John 3:13). Continue to be sanctified by the truth of God's Word and be in the world but not of it (see John 2:15).

PRAYER CHALLENGE: Pray that God would empower you to always be set apart, even when the world hates you, so that others can see the difference Jesus has made in your life.