Daily Living for Seniors

[Judy Harder]

Where to unload life's heavy burdens

Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken.
Psalm 55:22

In his famous book, Believe and Belong, Bruce Larson tells how he helped people struggling to surrender their lives to Christ:

"Often I would suggest they walk with me from my office down to the RCA Building on Fifth Avenue. In the entrance of that building is a gigantic statue of Atlas, a beautifully-proportioned man who, with all his muscles straining, is holding the world upon his shoulders.

"There he is, the most powerfully-built man in the world, and he can barely stand up under this burden. 'Now that's one way to live,' I would point out to my companion, 'trying to carry the world on your shoulders. But now come across the street with me.'

"On the other side of Fifth Avenue is Saint Patrick's Cathedral, and there behind the high altar is a little shrine of the boy Jesus, perhaps eight or nine years old, and with no effort he is holding the world in one hand. My point was illustrated graphically. We have a choice. We can carry the world on our shoulders, or we can say, 'I give up, Lord; here's my life. I give you my world, the whole world.'"

Surrender is a difficult thing. Yet according to the Bible and countless testimonies, it's the only way to live. Maybe today you feel like Atlas, carrying the world on your shoulders. But the One who created the world is the only One who can truly bear its incredible weight. So give your worries and cares to God today, surrendering your life fully and wholeheartedly to Him!

Prayer Challenge

Pray and give your heavy burdens over to God and allow Him to lighten your load.

Questions for Thought

What are some heavy burdens you feel like you're carrying around today?

How specifically today could you unload those burdens onto God, trusting fully in His provision for your life?

[Judy Harder]

How to emotionally open yourself to God

Jesus wept. - John 11:35

Tears are a fundamental aspect of the human condition. Christian author Calvin Miller writes in his book, The Valiant Papers, on crying,

Crying is common in this world. It does little good to ask the reason for it. [Earth] is what one might call a weeping planet. Laughter can be heard here and there, but by and large, weeping predominates. With maturity the sound and reason for crying changes, but never does it stop. All infants do it everywhere—even in public. By adulthood most crying is done alone and in the dark. Weeping, for babies, is a sign of health and evidence that they are alive. Isn't this a chilling omen?

Not laughter but tears is the life sign. It leaves weeping and being synonyms.

Yes, weeping and being are synonymous. Yet today, crying is seen as a sign of weakness, an emotion which should be suppressed for the sake of "being strong" in front of others. It leaves us to wonder, then, as to when in our lives this becomes the case. As Miller says, crying is a sign of life among children. But somewhere along the way, this changes.

Maybe today you need to shed a few tears with God. You've let emotions build up inside of you for so long that you need to get alone with God and weep. Open your emotional self to God and be fully known as you live your life authentically before Him.

Prayer Challenge

Pray that God would give you a heart of flesh, and that you'd live authentically before Him when it comes to your emotions.

Questions for Thought

When is the last time you cried?

What emotions have you built up inside of you that need to come out?

[Judy Harder]

How to recognize truth in the midst of lies

He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created. - James 1:18

One of the most elaborate hoaxes in broadcast history was an April Fool's joke played on the British Broadcasting Corporation's current affairs program Panorama, with its rather dignified host Richard Dimbleby relating a story about the annual spaghetti harvest filmed in a Swiss-Italian spaghetti orchard.

For the segment, the producers and cameramen actually flew to Switzerland and hung spaghetti on trees in an orchard. They then filmed local women climbing ladders with baskets and pulling the spaghetti off of the trees and filling their baskets full! And with guitar music added into the background, the final product was complete.

At the end of the three-minute film Richard Dimbleby said, "Now we say goodnight to this first day of April." In spite of that hint, the next morning it was surprising the number of people who didn't recognize that the spaghetti harvest was a hoax. The BBC had pulled a big one off on countless viewers across Britain!

It's amazing how when something is presented to us by a credible source, we'll often believe it without any questions. This is true when it comes to the lies of the enemy and the world, which often lure Christians into false beliefs. So don't be hoodwinked by what the world says is true. Instead, focus on what God says is true and trust fully in Him!

Prayer Challenge

Pray that God would give you wisdom to discern His truth from the world's lies.

Questions for Thought

What are some lies the world tries to tell us that are contrary to Scripture?

How can you be more consistent in immersing yourself in God's truth so you'll be able to tell what's true and what's not?

[Judy Harder]

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

In 1935, on a winter night, Fiorello LaGuardia, the mayor of New York City, showed up at night court in the poorest part of the city. He let the judge go for the evening and he took over the bench.

A woman in torn clothing, charged with stealing a loaf of bread, was brought to stand before LaGuardia. She told LaGuardia that her son-in-law had deserted her extremely sick daughter, and that her grandchildren were starving. The shopkeeper refused to drop the charges, however, saying she needed to be punished.

LaGuardia sighed, turned to the old woman, and said, "I've got to punish you. The law makes no exceptions. Ten dollars or ten days in jail."

As soon as he pronounced the sentence, however, LaGuardia took a $10 bill out of his pocket and threw it into a hat. And he said: "Here's the $10 fine, which I now remit. Furthermore, I'm going to fine each person 50 cents in this courtroom for living in a town where a person has to steal bread so that her grandchildren can eat. Mr. Bailiff, collect the fines and give them to the defendant."

The next day, a New York newspaper reported that $47.50 was turned over to the grandmother who had stolen a loaf of bread to feed her starving grandchildren.

Today, give encouragement or show kindness to someone who wouldn't expect it from anyone else. Christ came to give life and show mercy to those less fortunate and those who are sinners—not the high and mighty. Restore the joy in your life by giving of your time and energy to those who don't have the blessings that you do.

PRAYER CHALLENGE: Ask God to show you someone who is less fortunate than you, so you can extend to him or her the same kindness that Christ first showed you.

[Judy Harder]

How do you feel about change?

Brothers and sisters, I could not address you as people who live by the Spirit but as people who are still worldly—mere infants in Christ.I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready. - 1 Corinthians 3:1-2

In his book, Holy Sweat, Tim Hansel recalls how a close friend of his was asked back to his forty-year high school reunion. For months he saved to take his wife back to the place and the people he'd left four decades before. The closer the time came for the reunion, the more excited he became.

The day came to leave. Tim recalls how, as he drove the couple to the airport, their energy was almost contagious. "I'll pick you up on Sunday evening, and you can tell me all about it," he told them. "Have a great time."

Sunday evening arrived. As this couple got off the plane, they seemed almost despondent. So Tim asked his friends, "Well, how was the reunion?"

"Tim," the man said, "it was one of the saddest experiences of my life. It wasn't what happened but what didn't happen. It has been forty years, and they haven't changed. They had simply gained weight, changed clothes, gotten jobs... but they hadn't really changed."

People choose not to change. They grow content with the status quo and live there the rest of their lives. But God has called us to grow, to break out of young, inexperienced ways of thinking, and to develop into fully devoted followers of Him. So for His sake, be willing to grow in your faith, getting a swift kick when you need it, and following Him ever more each day!

Prayer Challenge

Pray for God to give you a "swift kick" in the right direction when you need it so you can follow Him more each day.

Questions for Thought

In what areas of your life do you resist change the most?

How can you become more open to change, allowing the Lord to give you a "swift kick" in the right direction when you need it?

[Judy Harder]

In you, O LORD, I have taken refuge; let me never be put to shame. - Psalm 71:1

When things come up in my life, oftentimes my first instinct is to take action and correct whatever may be wrong. This is true for most men. It's a natural male tendency to want to fix what's broken. I'm sure some of the ladies reading this can relate to this tendency as well.

The problem is that my first instinct isn't necessarily my best course of action. An impulsive reaction to a situation can sometimes make it much worse. Instead of seeking the Lord and asking for guidance, we may rely on our wealth, our reputation, or our own know-how to get a job done. But often this can lead to negative results.

Consider Jonah. His first instinct was to run. In fact, when God called Jonah to preach to the people of Nineveh, he went as far in the opposite direction as possible. And it was only due to his eventual acceptance of God's will that an entire city was spared the Lord's fury. Jonah knew he had a difficult task set before him, but he fled from God instead of seeking shelter from God.

How different the story would have been if Jonah had simply taken refuge in the Lord from the beginning! Jonah could have spared himself a lot of misery and shame by finding refuge in the Lord.

How much of our own anguish has been caused by an unwillingness to submit to God? Sometimes we would rather stand in the cold alone than experience warmth and safety in the sanctuary of the Lord.

PRAYER CHALLENGE: Ask God for refuge today by granting you strength and peace of mind.

[Judy Harder]

How you can be set free from sin

For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with,that we should no longer be slaves to sin—because anyone who has died has been set free from sin. - Romans 6:6-7

Canadian journalist Thomas Costain described the life of Raynald III, a fourteenth-century duke in what is now Belgium. Grossly overweight, Raynald was commonly called by his Latin nickname, Crassus, which means "fat."

After a violent quarrel, Raynald's younger brother Edward led a successful revolt against him. Edward captured Raynald, but decided to not kill him. Instead, he built a room around Raynald in the Nieuwkerk castle and promised him he could regain his title and property as soon as he was able to leave the room.

This would not have been difficult for most people since the room had several windows and a door of near-normal size, and none was locked or barred. The problem was Raynald's size. To regain his freedom, he needed to lose weight. But Edward knew his older brother, and each day he sent a variety of delicious foods. Instead of dieting his way out of prison, Raynald grew fatter.

Raynald stayed in that room for ten years and wasn't released until after Edward died in battle. By then his health was so ruined he died within a year—a prisoner of his own appetite.

What is it about sin that so easily draws us in? While we read the story of Raynald and shake our heads in disbelief, we're no different when we choose sin and self-indulgence over the abundant life Christ offers. So instead of sin, choose Christ, who died for you so you could experience freedom from the chains of disobedience!

Prayer Challenge

Pray and ask God to empower you to recognize sin and overcome it every day!

Questions for Thought

What are some areas in your life that sin has drawn you in?

How can you trust Christ to overcome sin in these areas and experience the joy of freedom?

[Judy Harder]

Where to unload life's heavy burdens

Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken. - Psalm 55:22

In his famous book, Believe and Belong, Bruce Larson tells how he helped people struggling to surrender their lives to Christ:

"Often I would suggest they walk with me from my office down to the RCA Building on Fifth Avenue. In the entrance of that building is a gigantic statue of Atlas, a beautifully-proportioned man who, with all his muscles straining, is holding the world upon his shoulders.

"There he is, the most powerfully-built man in the world, and he can barely stand up under this burden. 'Now that's one way to live,' I would point out to my companion, 'trying to carry the world on your shoulders. But now come across the street with me.'

"On the other side of Fifth Avenue is Saint Patrick's Cathedral, and there behind the high altar is a little shrine of the boy Jesus, perhaps eight or nine years old, and with no effort he is holding the world in one hand. My point was illustrated graphically. We have a choice. We can carry the world on our shoulders, or we can say, 'I give up, Lord; here's my life. I give you my world, the whole world.'"

Surrender is a difficult thing. Yet according to the Bible and countless testimonies, it's the only way to live. Maybe today you feel like Atlas, carrying the world on your shoulders. But the One who created the world is the only One who can truly bear its incredible weight. So give your worries and cares to God today, surrendering your life fully and wholeheartedly to Him!

Prayer Challenge

Pray and give your heavy burdens over to God and allow Him to lighten your load.

Questions for Thought

What are some heavy burdens you feel like you're carrying around today?

How specifically today could you unload those burdens onto God, trusting fully in His provision for your life?

[Judy Harder]

How to find rescue from your pain

As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient.... But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy,made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. - Ephesians 2:1-5

A man put up a sign in his yard that read "Puppies for Sale." Among those who came to inquire was a young boy from the neighborhood. "Please, mister," he said, "I'd like to buy one of your puppies."

"Well, son, they're $25."

The boy looked crushed. "I've only got two dollars and five cents. Could I see them anyway?"

"Of course," said the man.

The lad's eyes lit up at the sight of those five little balls of fur. "That one has a bad leg," said the man. "I'm afraid she'll be crippled for life."

"Well, that's the puppy I want. Could I pay for her a little at a time?"

The man responded, "But she'll always have a limp." Smiling bravely, the boy pulled up one pant leg, revealing a brace. "I don't walk good either." Then, looking at the puppy, he continued, "I guess she'll need a lot of love and help. I sure did. It's not so easy being crippled."

"Here, take her," said the man. "I know you'll give her a good home. And just forget the money."

Because of sin in our lives, we're just like that little crippled puppy. But when Jesus looks at you, He also looks down at His nail-pierced hands and feet and says, "I'll give you a good home." It's because of those scars that He can sympathize with your pain and weakness and calls you home to be with Him forever!

Prayer Challenge

Thank God that, despite the sin and shame that covers us, Jesus Christ rescued us from sin so that we could have eternal life!

Questions for Thought

How does it make you feel that Jesus rescued us from the curse of sin and brings you to eternal life?

What response should we have to Christ's invitation to live with Him forever?

[Judy Harder]

Does your life point others to Jesus?



"In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven." - Matthew 5:16

A story is told of a man who would stop every morning to pick up the early edition of the newspaper at a small grocery store. One morning when he arrived at work, the man found that by mistake he had taken two newspapers instead of one. He first thought of paying the grocer the extra price the next morning. But then after a moment's consideration, he got in his car, drove back to the store, and returned the paper.

About a week later, the shop owner discovered that someone had stolen money from the grocery store. When police pinpointed the time it occurred, the grocer remembered only two people being in the store at the time—and one was the man who had returned the paper.

The grocer immediately dismissed the man as a suspect, saying, "That man is really honest. He came all the way back here just to return a newspaper he took by mistake." The police then focused their investigation on the other man, who soon made a full confession. This man's honesty made a big impression on that non-Christian storeowner.

As Christians, our walk should always resemble our talk. This is especially true in the eyes of a watching world, whose impressions and opinions of Christianity are formed based upon their interactions with Christians. So when it comes to honesty, live far above reproach, letting your good works shine in a dark world and bringing glory to God!

Prayer Challenge

Ask God to help you live the kind of life that points others to Jesus Christ.

Questions for Thought

Up to this point, how would you say you've done at living a life that points others to Christ?

What are some areas of your life today where you can be a light to people who don't know Jesus Christ?