Isaiah 40:31 But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.
Remembering Mary Lane
As a small child, I have always admired older people. They had the knowledge that I wanted to attain. I valued the opinions of the elders who God placed in my life. Just recently, my daughter remined me of My grandmother, Mary (Wood) Lane. She was from Charlottesville, Virginia. She came to Delaware to escape the realities of racism and oppression that she faced as a black woman. She was strong and kind. Many people looked up to her and found her to be an honorable woman. My daughter used her image in her podcast and I was reminded of my grandmother’s grace and wisdom. Her podcast is called Letters to My Daughter. When I went to view the podcast, there I saw my grandmother. I felt as though she was giving me a look as if to say, “Everything is going to be alright.”
Responding to the call
Age can sometimes be seen as a force that we should work against, or that is working against us. Youth is such a wonderful thing. I often find myself thinking about my youthful days. Now, the Lord is reminding me that I still have work to do. I caught up with an old friend at the grocery store the other day. We were talking about friends that we grew up with, and he was getting me caught up with what each of them were doing. I was thankful for the interaction with an old acquaintance, then he called himself old. I reminded him that he was the same age as me. Age today is combatted with ageism, disgrace, and moreover people as well as companies who try to tell us why our battle scars, wrinkles and cellulite should not be on display.
Receiving Christ
Don’t get me wrong, we should all continue to exercise, get plenty of rest, and eat well. God has given us these bodies, and we are his temple. Living a life of peace and blessings requires work. Choosing to maintain good and godly character also takes work because we are not perfect. That is the reality of living in this world. But freedom comes when we realize who we are in Christ Jesus. Receiving him only requires a decision. We are all one decision away from making the right decision. No matter what your age, nationality, creed or color, you too can receive the love, grace, clarity and correction that comes from accepting Jesus as your personal savior.
Waiting on the Lord
Isaiah 40:31 states: But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint. I have waited my whole life to be better, more mature, grounded, wise, and strong. The Lord reassures us all to wait on him. How do we wait? We pray, connect, love, and we look to what is good and pure. That is the reason why intergenerational connectedness is so important. We have so much to offer those who are young, as the more mature generation. We in turn benefit from bearing witness to the innocence and the vitality of those who are young. We have the ability to point the younger generation to the cross. Like the eagle, the Lord causes us to break off those old beaks, only to renew new ones, new gifts and talents and a renewed sense of wellbeing while being connected to him.
Prayer points
God your grace surrounds and protects me with favor as a shield. I will mount up with wings as eagles.
My grey hairs, flaws and imperfections are a testament to the favor and grace that you have placed upon my life.
Let my character and motivation of the heart be in line with my life in you Christ Jesus.
Lord, continue to use my previous and newly found gifts for your glory, while I multiply and flourish in Jesus’ name. Amen