Great piece, Linda! I subscribed to your posts! You have hit upon some key ideas which have rolled around in my head in regard to aging and my faith. Thanks for bringing me some clarity.
I loved this piece—loved the imagined thoughts and especially the questions of Moses, and they made me think so much of my own life as I near 72. In my early Christian life I wanted so much to do great things for the Lord, but I must say I don’t see much of that as I look back. Like Moses in the piece I have questions about where I’ve been and what’s coming. But I don’t see having reached a great destiny, and I seriously wonder at my age if that will come. Instead, what I do see is my growing and deepening love for my Lord, and for that I’m so thankful.
I’m also thankful for this marvelous piece—thankful to Linda and to the Lord.
Ike, thank you for your beautiful comment! I don’t think a great destiny has to look like Moses’ did. I think those who live out quiet lives of faithfulness, praying for others, serving their church family, and witnessing by their words and deeds to the truth of the gospel are achieving just as great a destiny.
And He promises to restore to us the years the locusts have eaten, so we don't need to wallow in regret for past mistakes, foolish choices or missed opportunities. A nice meditation, Linda! "Forgetting what lies behind, I press on..."
Mark, thank you for such a beautiful comment! It could be a post in itself. You are so right that each day God gives us is a new opportunity. His mercies are indeed new every morning. That’s something I need to remind myself of more often.
Linda, very nice piece! Your insight about God using all of our past to fit us for His purposes speaks to the beautiful doctrine that no faithful work goes unnoticed by our Creator. Whether we serve as parents shaping the next generation, workers contributing to the common good, or neighbors caring for those around us, every legitimate calling becomes a channel through which God’s love flows to the world (what Luther referred to as Masks of God). Moses’ protests about his inadequacy remind us that God’s strength is made perfect in our weakness, and His calling rarely aligns with our own assessment of our capabilities. The same God who equipped an eighty-year-old stuttering shepherd to confront Pharaoh continues to work through imperfect people in every season of life, transforming our ordinary faithfulness into extraordinary kingdom impact. This truth offers hope to anyone who wonders whether their best years are behind them - in God’s economy, every day presents new opportunities to participate in His redemptive work in the world.
Mark, I’m not sure my reply to you showed in the right place, so in case you didn’t see it, I’m trying again. I’m still trying to really understand this platform:
Thank tyou for such a beautiful comment! It could be a post in itself. You are so right that each day God gives us is a new opportunity. His mercies are indeed new every morning. That’s something I need to remind myself of more often.
Great piece, Linda! I subscribed to your posts! You have hit upon some key ideas which have rolled around in my head in regard to aging and my faith. Thanks for bringing me some clarity.
Thank you so much, Glenn!
I loved this piece—loved the imagined thoughts and especially the questions of Moses, and they made me think so much of my own life as I near 72. In my early Christian life I wanted so much to do great things for the Lord, but I must say I don’t see much of that as I look back. Like Moses in the piece I have questions about where I’ve been and what’s coming. But I don’t see having reached a great destiny, and I seriously wonder at my age if that will come. Instead, what I do see is my growing and deepening love for my Lord, and for that I’m so thankful.
I’m also thankful for this marvelous piece—thankful to Linda and to the Lord.
Ike, thank you for your beautiful comment! I don’t think a great destiny has to look like Moses’ did. I think those who live out quiet lives of faithfulness, praying for others, serving their church family, and witnessing by their words and deeds to the truth of the gospel are achieving just as great a destiny.
That was really good and a good reminder for us all.
And He promises to restore to us the years the locusts have eaten, so we don't need to wallow in regret for past mistakes, foolish choices or missed opportunities. A nice meditation, Linda! "Forgetting what lies behind, I press on..."
Yes, he does! Thank you so much, Conrad!
Mark, thank you for such a beautiful comment! It could be a post in itself. You are so right that each day God gives us is a new opportunity. His mercies are indeed new every morning. That’s something I need to remind myself of more often.
Linda, very nice piece! Your insight about God using all of our past to fit us for His purposes speaks to the beautiful doctrine that no faithful work goes unnoticed by our Creator. Whether we serve as parents shaping the next generation, workers contributing to the common good, or neighbors caring for those around us, every legitimate calling becomes a channel through which God’s love flows to the world (what Luther referred to as Masks of God). Moses’ protests about his inadequacy remind us that God’s strength is made perfect in our weakness, and His calling rarely aligns with our own assessment of our capabilities. The same God who equipped an eighty-year-old stuttering shepherd to confront Pharaoh continues to work through imperfect people in every season of life, transforming our ordinary faithfulness into extraordinary kingdom impact. This truth offers hope to anyone who wonders whether their best years are behind them - in God’s economy, every day presents new opportunities to participate in His redemptive work in the world.
Mark, I’m not sure my reply to you showed in the right place, so in case you didn’t see it, I’m trying again. I’m still trying to really understand this platform:
Thank tyou for such a beautiful comment! It could be a post in itself. You are so right that each day God gives us is a new opportunity. His mercies are indeed new every morning. That’s something I need to remind myself of more often.
Hi Linda, I’ll be sharing a number of poems over the coming months on themes similar to those you explore.
I’ll look forward to reading them.