Daily Living for Seniors

[Judy Harder]

But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. --1 Peter 3:15

The renowned 19th-century English preacher Charles H. Spurgeon told a story about King Cyrus, the man who conquered Babylon and freed the Jews from captivity.

A visitor to King Cyrus' palace was admiring his garden and said it gave him much pleasure. King Cyrus responded, "Ah...but you have not so much pleasure in this garden as I have, for I have planted every tree in it myself."

Spurgeon then commented on this story, "One reason some saints will have a greater fullness of heaven than others will be that they did more for heaven than others. By God's grace they were enabled to bring more souls there."

What kind of legacy do you want to leave behind when you are gone from this earth? How many people will be in heaven because of you?

Do you want to be known as a dynamic believer in Christ who never left the pew or walked outside of the church building to share Jesus? Or do you want to be known as one who spent every day sharing Him with the lost world around you?

Nothing is more effective in drawing someone to Jesus Christ than sharing your personal testimony of faith. How did God change your life? What great and mighty things have you seen Him do as a result?

Believers should always be ready to share their faith with others and have zeal to move beyond their comfort zone to bring more souls to Jesus.

Become the kind of Christian that when you reach eternity, someone will say to you, "I'm so thankful for you. It was because of your testimony, your life, and your invitation to accept Jesus that I'm here today" (1 Thessalonians 2:19-20).

PRAYER CHALLENGE: Pray that you would have a passion for sharing Jesus with those around you who are lost.

[Judy Harder]

I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength.  -Philippians 4:11-13

In the early 1990s, author and speaker Patsy Clairmont boarded an airplane and sat next to a young man. She began a conversation with him and soon found out that he was a Marine who had been serving in Operation Desert Storm.

Throughout their conversation, he told her that he was on his way home where his family would greet him at the airport. To which Clairmont commented that he must have thought about returning home to his family many times while he was in the Middle East.

But the Marine replied, "Oh, no, ma'am. We were taught never to think of what might never be, but to be fully available right where we were."

This young man was content right where he was...despite his situation. Contentment is the full acceptance of yourself, your surroundings, your past, and your future.

As believers, we can be content because Jesus paid for our sins on the cross...giving us salvation and eternal life with Him. Knowing this should help us be perfectly satisfied with our current situations because He is sufficient to meet all of our needs (Philippians 4:19).

However, contentment is never easy to obtain! It is a learned trait. No matter your situation today, strive to rely on God in every situation and circumstance.

Realize that He is sufficient and has given you all that you need for this moment in time. As you begin to depend more on Him, you will learn to be content!

PRAYER CHALLENGE: Thank God for the situation He has placed you in at this point in your life and commit to rely on Him in each and every situation.

[Judy Harder]

Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death--even death on the cross!  --Philippians 2:5-8

Booker T. Washington, the famous black educator, became the president of Tuskegee Institute in Alabama in 1881.

Shortly thereafter, he was taking a walk through town when a wealthy white woman stopped him. She didn't recognize the well-known man, so she asked if he would like to earn a few dollars by chopping wood for her.

Mr. Washington smiled, rolled up his sleeves, and set out to work on the chore she had requested. When he finished, he carried the logs into her house and stacked them by the fireplace.

A little girl recognized Washington working outside the woman's house and later revealed his identity to her. The next morning, the embarrassed woman went to Mr. Washington's office and apologized profusely.

To which he replied, "It's perfectly all right, Madam. Occasionally I enjoy a little manual labor. Besides, it's always a delight to do something for a friend."

A truly humble man or woman is oftentimes hard to find. But God gets great joy in blessing those believers who are selfless. Being humble is not a natural instinct. Rather it is a God-given mandate for holy living.

Jesus Christ's life is the perfect example of humility. Though He was God, Jesus sacrificed His position of honor and entered humanity as a humble Savior.

Believers should also follow the Lord and humble themselves before God and others. For the Bible says "whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted" (Matthew 23:12).

PRAYER CHALLENGE: Pray that God would give you a spirit of humility today.

[Judy Harder]

For no matter how many promises God has made, they are "Yes" in Christ. And so through him the "Amen" is spoken by us to the glory of God. --2 Corinthians 1:20

These twelve promises of God on which we can rely were listed in Our Daily Bread on January 1, 1985: 

God's Presence -- "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you" (Hebrews 13:5).   
God's Protection -- "Do not be afraid...I am your shield, your very great reward'" (Genesis 15:1).   
God's Power -- "I will strengthen you..." (Isaiah 41:10).   
God's Provision -- "I will...help you; I will uphold you..." (Isaiah 41:10).   
God's Leading -- "When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them" (John 10:4).   
God's Purposes -- "For I know the plans I have for you...plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future" (Jeremiah 29:11).   
God's Rest -- "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest" (Matthew 11:28).   
God's Cleansing -- "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness" (1 John 1:9).   
God's Goodness -- "No good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless" (Psalm 84:11).   
God's Faithfulness -- "The Lord will not reject his people, because the Lord was pleased to make you his own" (1 Samuel 12:22).   
God's Guidance -- "He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them his way" (Psalm 25:9).   
God's Wise Plan -- "All things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose" (Romans 8:28).   

If you are an obedient and faithful child of God, then you can be certain He will keep all His promises (see 2 Peter 3:9)! There is assurance for your life and hope for whatever situation you may be facing in the promises of His Word!

PRAYER CHALLENGE: Thank God for the promises found in His Word.

[Judy Harder]

April 7

Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.  --Matthew 6:34

It doesn't matter if you're asleep or wide awake, there are two thieves that often try to creep into your heart and mind to rob you of your peace and joy. They are known as "yesterday" and "tomorrow." Jesus told us not to worry about tomorrow because He knew we would have more than enough to handle today. He doesn't want you to dwell on past mistakes or tomorrow's potential difficulties. Even though this seems to be a simple concept, most people have difficulty in grasping it.

Before you know it, they suddenly catch a bad case of the "what ifs." What if I can't pay my bills next month? Where is my next meal going to come from? What if the medicine and treatments don't work? It can be maddening to those who are overwhelmed by the "what if" syndrome, commonly known as worry. But this only covers the thief named "tomorrow."

"Yesterday" is a completely different kind of bandit. People find themselves engulfed with the regrets of yesterday. We must realize everyone makes mistakes for "each one should carry his own load" (Galatians 6:5)--big, small, medium-sized--they are all sin in the eyes of God. He doesn't judge you any more or less, because Christ's blood covered all sins equally.

Everyone has his load of difficulties in life stemming from yesterday, actively working today, or building for tomorrow's explosion. But, as believers we must understand that the only way to free ourselves of worry and experience true peace is to have faith that God will work everything out in His time. Consider Him your heart's anti-theft system--He cleanses past mistakes and has every detail carefully planned out for your future.

PRAYER CHALLENGE: Ask the Lord to help you focus on today and serving Him at this very moment, rather than worrying about your past or future.

[Judy Harder]

The plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste leads to poverty.  --Proverbs 21:5

Everyone who plans to retire or has already retired faces a troubling question: Will I outlive my money? This is clearly a great concern and an unsettling possibility. Fears about health care and future finances run neck in neck in the race for the biggest concern among senior adults.

Today, the average person's life span has increased by 20 years since 1900, and the fastest growing age group of the U.S. population is people who are 85 years old and older. In the 1970s, Social Security provided for half a retired person's annual income, but today it counts for less than 30 percent and continues to decline.

The only way to make sure your income lasts as long as you do is through proper planning. You may have been frugal and wise with your income so you could be properly prepared when retirement came along, but now you may be feeling financially vulnerable. Don't worry--you are not alone. There are creative ways to make your money last longer for you.

Sit down with your family and discuss this issue as soon as possible. If you don't already have a professional financial advisor, you might consider working with one.  Be sure to check their references before making a decision.

PRAYER CHALLENGE: Ask God to place on your heart the reassurance that He will take care of you. Ask Him to reveal to you the next steps to take in preparing financially for the future. Thank Him for His provision and watch care over your life thus far.

[Judy Harder]

April 9
For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins. --Matthew 6:14-15

A seminary professor was teaching her students about forgiveness. She asked each of them to bring a sack of potatoes to class the next day. When they did, she asked them to select a potato for each person they refused to forgive and write the date on it beside the person's name. For a month, their assignment was to carry the sack of potatoes with them everywhere they went.

Can you imagine the load? After dragging the sacks around, each student began to recognize how much weight they were carrying spiritually as well as physically. It took a great amount of energy to pay attention to their bag and they had to make sure they didn't leave it lying around in the wrong place.

It wasn't long before the potatoes began to rot and stink. Each student realized that the best thing to do was to get rid of the sack of potatoes. You can't receive forgiveness without forgiving others first. If you decide not to forgive, then God will not forgive you either. It states this in His Word!

When you refuse to forgive and let go, you pay a price.  You begin to harbor bitterness and it becomes harder to find happiness. When you forgive the sins of others against you, they are gone for good! But when you don't, what happens? You begin carrying around the bitterness and rottenness like a sack of potatoes. If the thought of carrying around that heavy load makes you uncomfortable and tired, then take action and do something about it before this day is over!

PRAYER CHALLENGE: If you are carrying grudges or bitterness around like the sack of potatoes mentioned above, then ask God to give you the strength to forgive those in your life who have sinned against you.

[Judy Harder]

Come, my children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the Lord. --Psalm 34:11

Many people come to God irreverently. We will never get very far in our relationship with the Lord unless we understand He is to be feared. One of the greatest examples of fearing the Lord can be found in the infamous book The Chronicles of Narnia.

In the book, an allegory written by C.S. Lewis, the story is told of two girls, Susan and Lucky, who prepare to meet Aslan the Lion, who represents Christ. A story mostly made up of talking animals, Mr. and Mrs. Beaver help to prepare the girls for their first visit with the lion king. "Ooh," says Susan, "I thought he was a man. Is he quite safe? I shall feel rather nervous about meeting a lion."

"That you will, dearie," replied Mrs. Beaver. "And make no mistake, if there's anyone who can appear before Aslan without their knees knocking, they're either braver than most or else just silly."

Mr. Beaver goes on to tell the young child, who questions if he's safe, "Don't you hear what Mrs. Beaver tells you? Who said anything about safe? Of course he isn't safe. But he's good. He's the king, I tell you!"

The psalmist understood better than anyone what Mr. and Mrs. Beaver were trying to explain to Susan and Lucy. He wrote, "Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in him. Fear the Lord, you his saints, for those who fear him lack nothing" (Psalm 34:8-9). We aren't to live in terror of the Lord, but we must always fear Him in reverence and awe of His goodness and kingship. Our God is awesome beyond what we can imagine.

PRAYER CHALLENGE: In your prayer, praise God for who He is and worship Him with trembling hope and repentant tears.

[Judy Harder]

Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. --Lamentations 3:22-23

Have you ever been so overwhelmed by sorrow that you couldn't speak or move? If you have experienced this kind of sorrow, then you can understand firsthand the emotions of Jeremiah as he wrote the book of Lamentations. This book is a sobbing funeral song for the death of Jerusalem and the captivity of her people because of their sins. Each word in this book seems to be penned by someone with no hope. It is almost as if you could visualize the tears of Jeremiah falling onto every page.

Even though this book may seem to be full of destruction and desolation, there is a passage that may be familiar to you. It is the one ounce of hope that fills this barrelful of sadness. It says, "Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness" (Lamentations 3:22-23). What a message of hope and renewal!

We often forget the glimmer of light and hope found in these words amidst this seemingly dark book of sorrow in the Bible. Jeremiah's soul was aching, but he knew the Lord could cure it all. There may be times when you want to sink into despair. But even in the deepest pit of sorrow, there is One who will reach in and rescue you. Then you will be able to repeat the same words Jeremiah used: "I say to myself, 'The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for him'" (Lamentations 3:24).

PRAYER CHALLENGE: If you are experiencing sorrow, ask the Lord to rescue you from the pain and sorrow. If you know someone who is going through this battle, pray for God's peace on their lives and point them to the ray of hope found in Lamentations.

[Judy Harder]

 
I have seen something else under the sun: The race is not to the swift or the battle to the strong, nor does food come to the wise or wealth to the brilliant or favor to the learned; but time and chance happen to them all. --Ecclesiastes 9:11

A newspaper headline once read, "Jockey Beats Horse over Finish Line." The jockey, indeed, crossed the finish line a length before his horse and 20 lengths before the rest of the contestants. The would-be winner was thrown out of his saddle. His horse, which had tripped, followed right behind him. The victory went to the second-place finisher--"Slip Up."

One race official said the jockey and his horse were "so far in front that only a freak accident would stop him." All of us have faced life's unexpected events. The author of Ecclesiastes said, "The race is not to the swift or the battle to the strong" (Ecclesiastes 9:11). He made apparent the fact that people are not controllers of their own destiny.

You are probably already very aware of this fact, but life is completely filled with unpredictable experiences. Someone once said these events "seem like stones dropped into the gears of human ingenuity."  A family survives a fire that destroys everything they own. A healthy man contracts a crippling, deadly disease. A senior citizen loses everything in a scam deal.

There are important life lessons we can learn from everyday experiences. That may sound like a general statement, but if you think about it, it becomes a powerful one. One lesson we can learn is not to trust our own strength, knowledge, or skill, but instead depend on God in all of life's day-to-day happenings. Only He knows what is going to happen from moment to moment. For us, life's race isn't over until the Lord says it is.

PRAYER CHALLENGE: Ask God to help you trust Him for the unexpected and unpredictable events life throws your way. Pray that He would give you faith to finish the race until He comes again.