Finishing Well

If you read the cover story, you can see that God uses us all. The only qualification is a willingness to be used. He will equip you for His purposes. I want to add my thoughts to that article and emphasize the point that God uses the older folks too. The cover story showed that those who seemed underqualified were used by God but so are those who think they have “passed their prime”. A huge number of readers of this publication fall into that category. Many in our churches and a large percentage of those in my home church are in that category as well. We have lived a good many years, perhaps previously active in the Lord’s service and perhaps not. Either way, there is still time for God to use you. Many of the heroes of the Bible thought themselves to be past their prime. Fortunately for all of us, when God called them, they obeyed. Think of Abraham who left his home at 75 and had a child at 100 (remember Sarah was 90!)! Or Moses, who God used to free the people of Israel at the age of 80. There are many more. The point is that there is no maximum age for doing great things for God when He calls you.

Many seniors seem to “coast” in the later years, thinking that there is nothing left for them to do. Maybe they think it’s time to pass the torch to the next generation. Certainly, it is important to groom and teach the next generation to take over and lead their peers in the work of the Kingdom. But that doesn’t mean that all there is left is Bingo, Bunco, Potlucks and Trips! There are many needs and ministries open to and looking for the seasoned saints among us. The Gideons ministry is served by many even in their seventies and eighties. It is understandable that health issues and other physical problems brought on by age can slow a person down and add limitations. But I hope you will take the challenge to be used by God (if you are not already). You are needed AND God wants you to “finish well”!