Young At Heart
My wife lectured me again this morning about my reference to my “last remaining days”! I am not dying, well that is not completely true, we are all dying, or at least headed toward the end of this earthly life. If you are 69, which I will be in a few weeks, you are a lot closer than if you are 35, or at least according to the actuarial tables! However, no one knows when they will leave this earth, so we should all be prepared. I’m prepared, so I’m not talking about that, I’m talking about making the most of the time you are here!
Sherelene and I did the daily Intouch Devotional together early this morning, we do every morning. In a moment I will share it with you, but first I need to say something about this getting the most out of life thing…. Actually it’s not “getting” the most out of life, it’s “giving” the most to your life! I was thinking this morning about one of the most wonderful men I ever knew, a man named Charlie Harris. Charlie went on to be with the Lord a number of years ago, but I still think of him often. Charlie wasn’t famous, wasn’t particularly well known, he wasn’t a gifted athlete, or an actor, or “worldly” wealthy. He was wealthy in the most important way a man can be, he was loved, and loved by everyone that knew him! When Charlie died the out pouring in my home town was amazing, few famous people ever have had such an outpouring of sadness and grief. You see Charlie poured himself into life, into others. He was a kind, honest, sincere, man of real character and integrity. Men and women like that make a real impact on their families, communities, and the body of Christ. If you knew Charlie you felt he was one of your best friends, and you felt he considered you the same. I’m not sure I have known hardly anyone else in my life that so many people genuinely loved. Why? Because he loved them.
The following devotional is sagely advice about how to stay young, and how to live young regardless of your age. I doubt the person that wrote this knew Charlie, but they captured his spirit all the same!
Psalm 103:1-5
A psalm of David.
1 Let all that I am praise the Lord;
with my whole heart, I will praise his holy name.
2 Let all that I am praise the Lord;
may I never forget the good things he does for me.
3 He forgives all my sins
and heals all my diseases.
4 He redeems me from death
and crowns me with love and tender mercies.
5 He fills my life with good things.
My youth is renewed like the eagle’s!
We all want to live each day fully. To do that, we need to maintain a youthful attitude instead of letting ourselves grow old and useless to the kingdom. Here are some suggestions for staying young all our life.
First, we need to keep laughing. We are never more like children than when we are having fun with our friends. Yet in order to laugh, we at times must let go of emotional baggage. Some people have been hurt deeply, and their laughter is buried under old pains. But clutching past bitterness and feelings of rejection will age us quickly. Jesus Christ is willing to remove all that ugliness when we lay it down, which we do by forgiving ourselves and others—perhaps repeatedly. Every day is a fresh start and another chance for our indwelling God to help us smile and laugh.
Second, we should keep longing. That means we ought to keep chasing our dreams and working toward goals. When a person wakes up with something to accomplish or a friend to aid, he or she experiences more of the joy life has to offer. As soon as we settle for watching the world go by, we start to age.
Finally, and most importantly, we must keep leaning on the Lord. If we live with childlike trust, God will bless our life and use us to bring blessing upon others. He will give a sense of contentment so deep that no trial or spiritual attack can shake us.
As believers, we have the opportunity to take part in the Lord’s work every day of our life. If we give up before He wants us to stop, we cheat both God and ourselves.
Charlie didn’t cheat God, and I don’t intend to either!
Blessings,
the pilgrim
This entry was posted on Friday, January 16th, 2015 at 2:46 pm
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Bill
While we have not yet met, I’d say your heart is of the youngest I’ve ever known, and it seems obvious that you have much more to do here on this earth. We can’t wait to see what it is! From reading Matthew 22, we should ask the Lord to teach us the simplicity in life so we can give to the world the things that belong to it and give to the Lord the things that belong to Him. I’d say you are doing exactly that.
Blessings, and thanks for the devotional.
Bill
Thanks Bill, that is my mission!
There’s being old. And then there’s acting “old.”
Reading this about Charlie reminded me of Bernie Becwar, one of my best friend’s dad. Bernie worked at Johnson Wax, raised three children, lived modestly and instead of being the neighborhood mechanic was more inclined to show you how to do it (give a man a fish vs. teaching him to fish). After he retired Bernie volunteered delivering meals to the homebound. His funeral wake was held at the same time at that of a local politician. Guess which line was longer?
Not much doubt about that!!!!!
Bill, great post …. thanks for this gentle reminder
I try to be gentle, or should I say the Holy Spirit is!
Oh my goodness Bill Glenn, my heart just took a leap and my mouth is standing open(as usual) ! I wondered why I had received this but kept reading with curiosity until I saw that name, Charlie Harris and my heart skipped a beat ! Although nothing I read was new or anything I didn’t know, it still amazes me how many lives my dad touched and no matter how long it has been, people still remember him. He was a sight.
I still miss him and think of him often and wish I could laugh with him again also. I learned so much from him and think of him every time I preach to my children about doing the right thing, how evaluations are not worth the paper they are written on if you don’t tell the truth and on and on like parents do. One of the best lessons I learned was that no matter how old our children are, we are ALWAYS parents and even grown children need guidance, some more than others (like me). I feel like a celebrity’s child sometimes he was so well liked and talked about. I am very blessed to have been born his daughter and still am so proud when people call me ‘Li’l Hoople, say I look the most like him and/or have a personality like him.
Thank you so, so much for sharing this beautiful story with me and others. He would have been humbled but tickled to death. He thought the world of you too !
It was one of the greatest privileges of my live to have called him my friend!
Growing old is inevitable, but growing up is optional 🙂
Yes, and in many ways I’ve opted out of growing up!