Daily Living for Seniors

[Judy Harder]

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. --Philippians 4:6

In her classic autobiography, The Hiding Place, Corrie ten Boom tells of the time she and her sister went through Nazi inspections at a death camp. They were forced to suffer the humiliation of taking off their clothes. Corrie stood in line feeling forsaken, defiled, and desperate for answers. Suddenly she remembered that when He hung on the cross, Jesus too was naked.

During that seemingly degrading moment, Corrie was struck with a great sense of awe and worship to God. In her amazement of His holiness, she leaned forward and whispered to her sister, "Betsie, they took His clothes, too."

Betsie gasped and said, "Oh, Corrie, I never thanked Him for that."

Thanksgiving does not require any re-payment, but instead requires recognition of what our Savior has already done for us. Some people are appreciative by nature and others aren't. It is the latter who especially need God's power to express thanksgiving. Thankfulness is the opposite of selfishness. The selfish person believes they deserve what comes to them, but the unselfish person realizes that everything is a gift from God.

During this season, survey your own life and make a list of things for which you are thankful. Maybe it is the small favor a friend did for you, the house you live in, a loved one who phoned to see how you are, a Bible study group you're active in, the ability to walk, or the opportunity to worship freely each week in God's house. Take some time to thank the Lord for His blessings and at least one person who has blessed your life this year.

PRAYER CHALLENGE: Thank God for the gift of life, salvation through Jesus Christ, His Word by which you are to live, His constant comfort and love, His provision, and the eternal life we have with Him.

[Judy Harder]

Hear my prayer, O Lord; let my cry for help come to you. Do not hide your face from me when I am in distress. Turn your ear to me; when I call, answer me quickly. For my days vanish like smoke; my bones burn like glowing embers. My heart is blighted and withered like grass; I forget to eat my food. Because of my loud groaning I am reduced to skin and bones. I am like a desert owl, like an owl among the ruins. I lie awake; I have become like a bird alone on a roof. --Psalm 102:1-7

For most, this time of the year is the happiest. For others, it is one of the loneliest. There are three needs of people who are disappointed by loneliness: to love others, to be loved by others, and to be understood. Many times life's circumstances cause the loneliness: someone moves, life gets busy, or death or divorce separates us.

Jesus knew loneliness when He was on earth, and He understands your loneliness today. He never married or knew the intimacy of a mate. Jesus experienced loneliness in the desert of temptation as He went head-to-head with the devil. And He was even rejected and abandoned by the people in His life that were supposed to be tried and true.

Ultimately, Christ experienced loneliness and abandonment on the cross when He cried out to His Father, "Why have You forsaken Me?" The good news is that when Jesus came, died on the cross for you, and rose again on the third day, He promised you would never be lonely again. Jesus said, "I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you" (John 15:15).

A psalmist said, "Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me" (Psalm 23:4). In Him, you can fulfill the three things everyone needs to avoid loneliness. Jesus loves you unconditionally, desires your to be loved by you, and understands what you're going through!

PRAYER CHALLENGE: Ask the Lord that He would relieve your loneliness this season, or the lonliness of someone you love.  

[Judy Harder]

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. --Philippians 4:6

At the end of the 17th century, August H. Francke, a German preacher, founded an orphanage to care for the homeless children of the city of Halle. At one point , he desperately needed funds to carry on his work. A destitute Christian widow suddenly showed up at his door begging for a ducat--a gold coin.

He politely and regretfully told her he couldn't help because of his financial situation. The disappointed woman began to weep. Having sympathy for her, Francke asked her to wait while he went into his room to pray. After seeking God's wisdom, he felt the Holy Spirit leading him to change his mind and give her the money. Trusting the Lord to meet all his needs, he gave the widow the money.

Just two mornings later, He received a thank-you letter from her. She expressed that because of his generosity and kindness, she had been praying that the Lord would shower the orphanage with gifts. That same day, the German preacher received 12 ducats from a wealthy lady in town, and two more from a friend in Sweden.  Just when he thought the abundant blessings from God had subsided, he received word that the orphanage was to receive 500 gold pieces from the estate of a nearby prince.

Francke wept in gratitude to the Lord. In sacrificially providing for the destitute widow, he had been richly blessed by God. This holiday season, give sacrificially to others who may not have much. If you can relate to the needy widow, then pray that God would provide for all your needs--all the while giving Him thanks.

PRAYER CHALLENGE: Ask the Lord to provide for your needs this season and bless the lives of those who are desperate for help. Pray that He would help you give sacrificially to others with a thankful heart.  

[Judy Harder]

Friday, October 29, 2010   

"Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?' The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'" --Matthew 25:37-40

Once there were two young men working their way through Leland Stanford University. Their funds reached an all-time low, so they got the bright idea to solicit Polish pianist Ignace Paderewski, who was touring the U.S., for a piano recital. They decided they would devote the profits to their board and tuition.

The pianist's manager asked for a guarantee of $2,000. The fearless students worked hard to promote and stage the concert, but wound up only raising $1,600. After the concert, the two students presented the artist with their earnings along with a promissory note for $400 explaining they would earn the amount as soon as possible and send it to him.

Paderewski said, "No, I'm sorry, but that won't do." He tore the note to shreds, returned the money to them, and continued, "Take out of this $1,600 all of your expenses, keep for each of you 10 percent of the balance for your work, and let me have the rest."

Years went by and Paderewski became the premier of Poland. As war came upon the world, Paderewski strived to feed thousands of his starving Polish countrymen. Paderewski knew there was only one man in the world that could help his people. He called upon him, and tons of food began to flow into Poland for distribution.

After the people were fed, Paderewski traveled to Paris to thank his friend, Herbert Hoover, for the relief sent. Mr. Hoover replied, "That's all right, Mr. Paderewski. Besides, you don't remember it, but you helped me once when I was a student at college and I was in a hole."

PRAYER CHALLENGE: Ask the Lord to give you the opportunity to serve others in need this season. Thank Him for the blessings He has given you and for taking care of all your needs.  

[Judy Harder]

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. --Galatians 5:22-23

Two golfers stepped to the first tee on a local golf course. The elder of the two men was kind, while the younger was prideful and impatient. On the first and second holes, the young man made bad shots and began shouting at the caddie: "Keep your eyes peeled. I'm not here to do your job!"

Every bad shot thereafter seemed to be the caddie's fault. After the first nine holes, the young man angrily discharged the caddie and carried his own bag. He said to his older companion, "I don't like him. Thank goodness he's gone!"

The older man said, "Several years ago, a kid from Yonkers, William, came here and was taken on as a caddie. He was a sweet-natured boy and everybody liked him. He had a club foot, but that didn't affect his job. A doctor and member of the club became interested in William and took him south on a long trip.

"When they returned, William went back to caddying. The doctor, however, gave up golf for health reasons and died a few months later. I later played with William one morning and he gathered flowers all along the way. I asked him, 'Who's the girl?' And he replied, 'I haven't any girl, sir. They're for my friend, the doctor. Twice a week I take flowers to his grave.' You see, the doctor took William down south to operate on his foot. He helped the boy, and William never forgot his kindness."

The younger man said, "Now that's a caddie worth having. What happened to him?"

The older man said, "He carried your bag today for the first nine holes."

This holiday and every day throughout the year, show the fruit of the Holy Spirit in your life by being kind to others.

PRAYER CHALLENGE: Pray that your kindness would spill over into the lives of others.

[Judy Harder]

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever. --1 Chronicles 16:34

A father and mother of a young man killed in the military approached the pastor of their church one day.  They told him they wanted to give a monetary gift in remembrance of their son. The pastor said in response, "That's a wonderful gesture on your part. Is it alright if I share this with the congregation on Sunday?"

They agreed, and the next Sunday the pastor told the congregation of the gift given in memory of the deceased soldier. On the way home from church, another couple was driving down the highway when the man said to his wife, "Why don't we give a gift because of our son?"

His wife said, "Our son didn't die in battle! He's still alive!"

Her husband replied, "That's exactly my point! That's all the more reason we ought to give in thanks to God."

It's interesting that we most often give gifts to God in memorial rather than in appreciation. But it should be the exact opposite! We should give to the Lord consistently in our tithes and offerings from what He's blessed us with. And we should daily thank the Lord for providing our needs in both hard and plentiful times.

It's the same way in our prayer lives. We tend to pray the most when troubles come our way, not when we are being blessed. Remember to give thanks to the Lord through praise and prayer each day. And determine to give back to the Lord in obedience what He has given to you!

PRAYER CHALLENGE: Give thanks to the Lord for the blessings He's given you. Pray that He would make you a faithful steward and cheerful giver.

[Judy Harder]

He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart. --Psalm 91:4

Sundar Singh, an Indian evangelist, wrote about a treacherous forest fire that swept through the Himalayas where he was traveling. Many men were trying their best to fight the fire, but there was one group that stood staring up at the flaming branches of one tree.

They watched as a mother bird flew frantically in circles above the treetop. She was chirping an alarm and warning to her nest full of babies. As the flames reached her nest and it began to burn, she didn't fly away. Instead she swooped down and covered her fledglings with her wings to protect them. However, in a matter of seconds she and her nestlings were consumed by the fire.

The men standing below were awe-stricken. Singh then used the opportunity to share with them: "We have witnessed a truly marvelous thing. God created that bird with such love and devotion that she gave her life trying to protect her young. ...That is the love that brought Him down from heaven to become man. That is the love that made Him suffer a painful death for our sake."

What a stirring, vivid portrayal of Christ's love for us. How often have you stood in awe and amazement as you think of the cross where Jesus gave His life for you? Where the fire of holy judgment burned down upon Him? It was on Calvary that Jesus willingly suffered, gave His life for us, and "bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness..." (1 Peter 2:24). And it is "by his wounds you have been healed" (1 Peter 2:24).

PRAYER CHALLENGE: Thank Jesus for dying in your place and forgiving you of your sins. Show Him every day how grateful you are for what He did on the cross by living for him.  

[Judy Harder]

Thursday, November 4, 2010   

Sing to the Lord, you saints of his; praise his holy name. --Psalm 30:4

A young father sat cradling his infant born just three weeks before as a tornado ripped through Will County, Illinois. When the fierce winds had died down and peace was restored, the man's house was gone—and so was his baby. According to the news reports, however, the father discovered his child in a field near his house. Surprisingly, the baby was alive and well—and so was his family.

One reporter stopped by to cover the scene. She asked the young father if he was angry that he had lost everything he owned. The man replied, "No, I just thank God I have my baby and my family. Some people don't even have that. Nothing else is important."

Many times, it takes a tragedy to happen to remind us of what really matters in life. When things are going well for us, we can easily shift our focus to what we own. We can become obsessed and preoccupied with so many nonessential, unimportant material items—cars, houses, furniture, clothes, accessories, media equipment, and other trivialities. But when life is reduced to the essentials, our focus is brought back to the most important things and we realize that life itself is enough reason to praise God.

This season, you may not have many material items to claim for yourself, but remember what is most important. If you have your life and the lives of the people you love, what more could you ask for? Praise God for today and the people He's give you to share it with. When you think of all the "essentials" in your life, stop to thank Him.

PRAYER CHALLENGE: Thank God for loving you, for your family and friends, and for the gift of life. Pray that He would help you live each day in light of this truth.
 

[Judy Harder]

November 5, 2010   

Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for men.  --Psalm 107:21

While he was visiting his wife at a residence for Alzheimer's patients, retired pastor Browning Ware described what happened as he and close friends of theirs prepared to leave. He said: "We shared hugs all around and held hands in prayer. So much to be grateful for! I thanked God for family, for friends, and for His radical love that liberates us even when caught within life's clawing circumstances."

This season, as we pause to thank God for all the ways He has blessed us, it's also good to remember that our greatest gift is His unfailing love for us. So many times our thankfulness is associated with our health and financial security. We parallel God's blessings with freedom from pain, sorrow, and disappointment. But through faith, we learn that God's love for us expressed in Jesus can calm our hearts and minds even in the most trying situations.

During the reign of Darius in the Old Testament, a decree went out that anyone who prayed to any god or man during a period of 30 days, except to the king, would be thrown in the lions' den. Immediately, when the prophet Daniel heard of the decree, he "went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened toward Jerusalem. Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God..." (Daniel 6:10).

When life seems overwhelming and troubles come your way, you can cry out to the Lord. Psalm 118:28 says, "You are my God, and I will give you thanks; you are my God, and I will exalt you." Give thanks to Him in every situation and you will find deliverance from distress. It is God's unconditional love that sets you free from life's circumstances.

PRAYER CHALLENGE: Thank God for His unfailing love and mercy upon you as a believer.  

[Judy Harder]

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. --John 14:27

All of us experience undue stress. Stress is that subtle, yet building, pressure that robs us of our well-being, peaceful state of mind, and sometimes our health. How many times have you thought to yourself, "I've got too much to do and too little time to do it!"?

Stress affects us all, although it may seem that some have developed immunity to it. In reality they have simply learned how to handle it successfully. It should be our goal to learn to control the stress we face. If we don't, then our bodies are likely to experience changes. Stress affects the brain, the gastrointestinal tract, the skin, your sleep habits, your immune system, and most importantly, your spiritual life.

Everyone feels the pressures of life, whether they want to or not. But you don't have to live life as though you've been hit by an 18-wheeler when you lay your head on your pillow every night. To rid your life of stress, claim the promises of Scripture. The Bible says, "You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you" (Isaiah 26:3).

In addition, you'll want to refrain from telling yourself you shouldn't be relaxing when you finally get the chance to do so. Size down your responsibilities and just say no when you begin to feel an incredible amount of stress. Create some quiet time--possibly even in a very quiet place--to read Scripture, pray, get alone with God, and write out your feelings. And most importantly, plan some quality for yourself--alone.

PRAYER CHALLENGE: If you are feeling extreme stress in your life, ask God to help you relieve it and rejuvenate your mind, body, and soul.