AGING: KEEPING CONTROL PART I and AGING: KEEPING CONTROL PART II

Psalms 71:9 – Cast me not off in the time of old age; forsake me not when my strength faileth.
Proverbs 20:29 – The glory of young men [is] their strength: and the beauty of old men [is] the gray head.

` Because of better health and new technology, we may live to the grand age of 90 and above. As we approach a more mature age, we may have some doubts and worries. Will we outlive our peers, our children, or our grandchildren? Will we outlive our spouse? Will there be enough money to pay for daily living? Will the advances of modern medicine keep us alive when we are ready to go to the Father? How will we take care of ourselves? What will happen if we cannot take care of ourselves? What if the caretaker(s) is/are cruel? Yes, we know that God will take care of us; however, He expects those who have the earthly care of us to do their job.

David says in Psalm 71 that he not cast off in the time of old age. It was his desire and ours now and in the future that we be accepted and taken care of. In youth, we had physical strength, mental acuity, sharp eyesight, fluid speech, good taste buds, sharp hearing, lack of constipation, no stomach problems, few aches and pains, and a belief that we would live for a long time. As the 60s, 70s, 80s, and 90s approach, we begin to ask all of these questions. Though we know that God has us in His arms, we want to feel the physical arms of loved ones holding us close.

When and if any or all of these concerns happen as we grow in age, we can trust that God will not only take care of us, but also He holds us in His everlasting arms. Isaiah 45:5 And in your And in old age I am he; and even to gray hairs will I carry you: I have made, and I will bear; even I will carry, and will deliver you. God will not forsake us in our old age. We may have no one else to take care of us, but God will hold us in His arms with love.

Let us take each of these concerns and look at them in depth. There are physical changes. Our eyesight and hearing may change. Our taste buds fool us that there is no seasoning in the food. Our memory escapes us. It is harder to remember what happened yesterday or day before; yet, we can remember what happened years ago. We stumble over words or forget them altogether. What troubles us the most is our emotional responses to aging. Tears are at the forefront. Anger is right behind. We cannot explain why we react the way we do. We can only hope that others understand. We cry because the music is beautiful. A sweet memory brings an emotional response—tears, laughter, and smiles. Our emotions are always on display.

In addition, we suffer from more than physical and emotional changes. We have moments of despair. We question why we are still here among the living. We begin to berate God for not taking us Home to be with Him. We lash out at others because they do not understand. We refuse to go to any other funerals. Those who have crossed over from life to death, we feel, are most fortunate. They are one their way to a resurrection day. We do not want to see our loved ones leaving us behind. We read the obituary columns every day. Who has crossed over? When did they cross over? It is enough to read the obituary and know when and where they will be buried.

GOD WILL TAKE CARE OF YOU

We believe that God will take care of us. We hum the song:
Be not dismayed whate’er betide,

God will take care of you;
God will take care of you
Beneath His wings of love abide,
God will take care of you.
o Refrain:
God will take care of you,
Through every day, o’er all the way;
He will take care of you,
God will take care of you.
Through days of toil when heart doth fail,
God will take care of you;
When dangers fierce your path assail,
God will take care of you.
All you may need He will provide,
God will take care of you;
Nothing you ask will be denied,
God will take care of you.
No matter what may be the test,
God will take care of you;
Lean, weary one, upon His breast,
God will take care of you. Civilia D. Martin lyrics

We change to singing the words. That does not satisfy us at all. We remember how the choirs sang this song with feeling. Now the words seem meaningless to us. Will God really take care of us through every day and o’er all the way? We feel out of control, unable to take charge of our lives. Where is God when we need Him? He is right where we want Him—holding us close and soothing out shortcomings that come with age. We must give Him the glory and honor He is due today and every day.

AGING: KEEPING CONTROL : PART II

Psalms 71:9 – Cast me not off in the time of old age; forsake me not when my strength faileth.
Psalms 37:25 – I have been young, and [now] am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.

There is always more for us to know about aging. There will eventually come hair loss. Many men shave their heads as they see the receding hairline. Women turn to wigs in different styles and colors. Medication becomes more important as aches and pains increase in severity. Yes, there are thermal pads to give relief through heat. Many homes have ice packs for the ache that does not respond to heat. Aging brings more medication at higher and higher prices. We have to plan for that extra expense. Because we can get prescription medicine, we have to visit a doctor to write the script. Another expense becomes a reality.

In addition, dentists become more necessary as we age. Technology has changed, and tooth implants are available. Old crowns must be replaced, as well as partial dentures. Cracked or loose teeth need attention. All of this is expensive—from the dentist to the work he/she does. Along with repairing our teeth, many who are vain want some tightening of the facial muscles. Yes, more expense is necessary.
When we are young, we have extraordinary feeling in our hands and feet. We swing a racket, toss up a three-pointer, shove a puck down the ice, and run the track many times in preparation for a race. Growing older can bring a loss of feeling in our extremities. We do not feel what we are walking on, and we do not sense what is in our hands without looking. Along with this goes a sensitivity to heat or cold. Those who used to be toasty warm begin to feel icy cold. Along with all these “ailments”, we can lose some of our strength. We are never going to be as strong as we were when we were young.

Now it seems that all of these changes in our physical bodies sound negative. However, we can profit from and enjoy growing older. “With age comes wisdom”; we hope. We have a better sense of history. We can enjoy the changes that take place in our lives. We can grow in our relationships with others and with God. Life can be so good! Let us enjoy it!

LIFE IS SO GOOD

Life is so good, life is so good these days life is so good these days, life is so good.
Life is so good, life is so good these days life is so good these days, life is so good.

Life is so good, life is so good these days life is so good these days, life is so good.
My life is so good, my life is so good these days, life is so good these days, life is so good

Life is good; eternal life is better. Life is good; eternal life is better.
Life is good; eternal life is better. Life is good; eternal life is better.

AMAZING BENEFITS

Psalm 68:1919 Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation. Selah.
Psalm 103:1-2 Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name. 2 Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits:

Television commercials and third class mail always tell us about the benefits we have: pension, social security, medical insurance, life insurance, reverse mortgage, and Medicare—pats A and B. car leasing, and more. The commercials keep playing aver and over again. After six to eight minutes of these commercials, the show that returns does not seem important. None of these propositions is amazing.

What is amazing, in terms of benefits, is the love of God, our country, town, home, neighborhood, family, friends, colleagues, and other. God so loved us that he gave His only begotten Son. We cannot even imagine the immensity of such love. We love until we accumulate enough reasons, and then “we are out.” We will no longer contend. The Psalmist says that he will bless the Lord for all His benefits. What do we consider benefits: possessions, jobs, provision, peace of mind, comfort, health, happiness, and joy.

Not only do we expect amazing returns, we also claim “amazing grace.” The old hymn of the church speaks to all the benefits of a relationship with God;
AMAZING GRACE

Amazing grace! How sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me!
I once was lost, but now am found,
Was blind, but now I see.

2. ΄Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,
And grace my fears relieved;
How precious did that grace appear
The hour I first believed.

3. Through many dangers, toils and snares,
I have already come;
΄Tis grace hath brought me safe thus far,
And grace will lead me home.

4. The Lord has promised good to me;
His word my hope secures;
He will my shield and portion be
As long as life endures.

5. Yes, when this heart and flesh shall fail,
And mortal life shall cease,
I shall possess, within the veil,
A life of joy and peace.

6. The earth shall soon dissolve like snow,
The sun forbear to shine;
But God, who called me here below,
Will be forever mine.

7. When we’ve been there ten thousand years,
Bright shining as the sun.
We’ve no less days to sing God’s praise
Than when we first begun.