Respect The Elderly
Rise in the presence of the aged, show respect for the elderly and revere your God. I am the Lord. Leviticus 19:32
Years can bring improvement in decision-making, perspective, the understanding of people, our intimacy with God and those closest to us. The elderly represent a plethora of wisdom waiting to be tapped. They tell stories of real life events that challenge, educate and entertain. Those approaching their twilight years who love Jesus have an eternal perspective that is infectious. They see God for who He is.
Yet with all of these potentially positive traits, we stutter at spending time with the aged, even those who are our own flesh and blood. Why is this so? Yes, some are hard to get along with; others develop a staleness (having been trapped indoors), and others are very high maintenance. This is hard, yet it is temporary. Before you know it they will be gone. How many more days do you have with a parent, grandparent or mentor?
As the sand is rushing toward the bottom of the hour-glass, what are some ways you can demonstrate respect toward the elderly? One way is to spend time with them. Perhaps it is a regular visit to the nursing home or retirement center. Love them by showing up with flowers and by reading an uplifting portion of Scripture. Listen to their hopes, dreams and regrets. Throughout your conversation with the elderly capture in your memory the nuggets of wisdom, thoughts, ideas and places that resonate with how you do or don’t want to live your life. Look for those life snapshots you can emulate and pass them down to your children and children’s children.
Or, respect for your elders may express itself in them visiting you, rather than you visiting them. They may need to move in with you so you can love them 24/7. Yes, this is a huge commitment. It is harder to ‘raise’ your parents than it is to ‘raise’ your children. Their needs are more complicated and they certainly do not want to be told what to do, but you love them anyway.
You respect them, even when they are not respectable. Seize this time. Don’t let it slip by in the abyss of busyness. This is an opportunity for your kids to experience how you would like for them to treat you one day. Your respect for the elderly is a reflection of your reverence for God. Love, serve and respect them as if you were doing the same for Christ.
Prayer: How can I schedule regular time to learn from and love the elderly?
~Wisdom Hunters Devotional~
____________________________
Years can bring improvement in decision-making, perspective, the understanding of people, our intimacy with God and those closest to us. The elderly represent a plethora of wisdom waiting to be tapped. They tell stories of real life events that challenge, educate and entertain. Those approaching their twilight years who love Jesus have an eternal perspective that is infectious. They see God for who He is.
Yet with all of these potentially positive traits, we stutter at spending time with the aged, even those who are our own flesh and blood. Why is this so? Yes, some are hard to get along with; others develop a staleness (having been trapped indoors), and others are very high maintenance. This is hard, yet it is temporary. Before you know it they will be gone. How many more days do you have with a parent, grandparent or mentor?
As the sand is rushing toward the bottom of the hour-glass, what are some ways you can demonstrate respect toward the elderly? One way is to spend time with them. Perhaps it is a regular visit to the nursing home or retirement center. Love them by showing up with flowers and by reading an uplifting portion of Scripture. Listen to their hopes, dreams and regrets. Throughout your conversation with the elderly capture in your memory the nuggets of wisdom, thoughts, ideas and places that resonate with how you do or don’t want to live your life. Look for those life snapshots you can emulate and pass them down to your children and children’s children.
Or, respect for your elders may express itself in them visiting you, rather than you visiting them. They may need to move in with you so you can love them 24/7. Yes, this is a huge commitment. It is harder to ‘raise’ your parents than it is to ‘raise’ your children. Their needs are more complicated and they certainly do not want to be told what to do, but you love them anyway.
You respect them, even when they are not respectable. Seize this time. Don’t let it slip by in the abyss of busyness. This is an opportunity for your kids to experience how you would like for them to treat you one day. Your respect for the elderly is a reflection of your reverence for God. Love, serve and respect them as if you were doing the same for Christ.
Prayer: How can I schedule regular time to learn from and love the elderly?
~Wisdom Hunters Devotional~
____________________________
O Lord , I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps (Jer. 10:23).
Lead me in a plain path (Ps. 27:11).
Many people want to direct God, instead of resigning themselves to be directed by Him; to show Him a way, instead of passively following where He leads.
--Madame Guyon
--Madame Guyon
I said: "Let me walk in the field";
God said: 'Nay, walk in the town";
I said: "There are no flowers there";
He said: "No flowers, but a crown."
I said: "But the sky is black,
There is nothing but noise and din";
But He wept as He sent me back,
"There is more," He said, "there is sin
I said: "But the air is thick,
And fogs are veiling the sun";
He answered: "Yet souls are sick,
And souls in the dark undone."
I said: "I shall miss the light,
And friends will miss me, they say";
He answered me, "Choose tonight,
If I am to miss you, or they."
I pleaded for time to be given;
He said: "Is it hard to decide?
It will not seem hard in Heaven
To have, followed the steps of your Guide."
I cast one look at the fields,
Then set my face to the town;
He said: "My child, do you yield?
Will you leave the flowers for the crown?"
Then into His hand went mine,
And into my heart came He;
And I walk in a light Divine,
The path I had feared to see.
God said: 'Nay, walk in the town";
I said: "There are no flowers there";
He said: "No flowers, but a crown."
I said: "But the sky is black,
There is nothing but noise and din";
But He wept as He sent me back,
"There is more," He said, "there is sin
I said: "But the air is thick,
And fogs are veiling the sun";
He answered: "Yet souls are sick,
And souls in the dark undone."
I said: "I shall miss the light,
And friends will miss me, they say";
He answered me, "Choose tonight,
If I am to miss you, or they."
I pleaded for time to be given;
He said: "Is it hard to decide?
It will not seem hard in Heaven
To have, followed the steps of your Guide."
I cast one look at the fields,
Then set my face to the town;
He said: "My child, do you yield?
Will you leave the flowers for the crown?"
Then into His hand went mine,
And into my heart came He;
And I walk in a light Divine,
The path I had feared to see.
~L. B. Cowman~
_________________________
Effective Prayer - Being Connected
Yesterday we found that the first key to effective prayer is the need to be specific when we pray. Today, I want to show you the second key: The need to have a close relationship with God.
In John 15:5, Jesus says,
"I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing."
God wants every part of our life to be connected to Him. And He tells us that as that happens, as we have our lives connected with Him, we bear much fruit. A few verses later Jesus directly connected that fruit to prayer.
In John 15:16, Jesus goes on to say,
"You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you."
If we are connected to God and we abide in Him, Jesus says we will bear much fruit—prayer fruit. Think about a fruit tree for a moment. The leaves come out because the branches are attached to the tree. In the spring the branch will blossom, and from those blossoms comes the fruit.
But if something happens and the branch is not solidly connected to the tree, it will probably not bear any fruit at all. There may be a few leaves, but the blossoms won't come and there won't be any fruit. The blossoms and healthy fruit will only come if the branch is fully connected.
God wants us connected to Him in every part of our lives. When that happens, our prayers will be in line with His desires, and we can be confident that He will answer.
~Bayless Conley~
____________________________
|
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.