Sunday, December 28, 2014

We Never Grow to Old


 As I was reading in Psalms this week I ran across a verse that automatically makes me think of my dear friend Ula who went to be with Jesus a couple of years ago. This was one of the verses that she was inspired by and lived out to the fullest.

It says:

    "And even when I am old and gray, O God, do not forsake me,
Until I declare Your strength to this generation,
Your power to all who are to come." Psalm 72:18

Ula took that verse as a challenge - a reminder that even though she might be getting on in years and she couldn't hear very well and her health was failing (she lived to be nearly 99 and stayed pretty active until the end) she did all that she could to inspire all of us to live for God more fully - to know His word better and to give our everything to Him. She over and over again told of God's work in her life and all that He could do.

 I have been very blessed with people like that in my life. I would have a very long list if I would start to name off all the Godly gray haired people that I know - ones that don't just "retire" when they grow older but rather use that time to continue to teach, to continue to tell others about God's wonderful power.

 When I was looking for a picture to go with this post I started looking for a picture of Ula as she is who I was thinking of particularly as I remember her talking about this very verse but before I found one of her I found this one of my Grandpa talking to my sister Keren and her husband Benjamin at their wedding this Spring and I found it very fitting to have in this post.
 My Granda is 93 and last I knew he was still teaching Bible classes some of the time at church. His health is starting to fail too but he still does all that He can to tell the next generation about Jesus and what He has done for them. This picture is a very cool one to me as I remember him pulling Ken and I aside at our wedding too to remind us to have a Godly marriage and to always put Christ first and though I don't know what he told Keren and Benjamin at their wedding I am sure it was pretty much the same. That is what is important to my Grandpa.

   Though I still feel pretty young and my hair has yet to turn gray (other than a stray hair now and then) - I want to always remember this verse.

  So to those of you that are gray or will turn gray someday please take this verse as a challenge. Never say "I'm retired - it is somebody else's turn to spread the gospel now" or "I've done my bit". No matter what your strength level or how much you are able to do physically there is always some way that you can still tell the next generations about Jesus. 

3 comments:

Anna said...

Lovely thoughts.

The Tripletts said...

Thanks for the thoughts Abbi. I also remember Grandpa pulling Ryan and I aside at our wedding.

Abbi said...

Thanks Anna and Renee!
I would guess that Grandpa spends time talking to all of us grandchildren at our weddings. I love it!

LinkWithin

Blog Widget by LinkWithin