Philippians 3:12-16
I don’t mean to say I am
perfect. I haven’t learned all I should even yet, but I keep working
toward that day when I will finally be all that Christ saved me for and
wants me to be.
No, dear brothers, I am still not all I should
be, but I am bringing all my energies to bear on this one thing:
Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I strain to
reach the end of the race and receive the prize for which God is calling
us up to heaven because of what Christ Jesus did for us.
I hope
all of you who are mature Christians will see eye-to-eye with me on
these things, and if you disagree on some point, I believe that God will
make it plain to you—if you fully obey the truth you have.
The
Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by
permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois
60188. All rights reserved.
In Feathers From My Nest*,
author Beth Moore talks about how she woke up one morning and looked in
the mirror, and someone had taken her neck and replaced it with a saggy,
wrinkled one! That same “person” gave her saggy, wrinkled knees, as
well! She humorously proceeds to describe aging and all that happens to
us – and how we try our hardest to bring this to a screeching halt with
all sorts of creams and procedures!
At the same time, I’ve
been reading some diaries and journals of our ancestors – both mine and
Greg’s – and learning about the activities and circumstances that shaped
their lives. Then I stumbled onto a Facebook page for my very dearest
friend from college, who I have not spoken to in more than 35 years. All
of this has culminated in something of a “trip down Memory Lane” and a
serious reflection on where I am – and how I got here!
A flood of
thoughts and memories filled my head as I thought about our lives and
how we grow and change. The things that seemed so important...the goals
that were so lofty when we were teenagers and young adults...the
near-obsession some of us had with our outward image and
appearance...all have such a different implication and/or significance
now. The old adage that...“hindsight is 20/20” and the Proverbs 31:30
reminder...”beauty fades away” take on even more meaning as we mature.
And as Beth Moore points out...”sooner or later, we’ll be looking
good...new necks...new knees...no spot or wrinkle. That and Jesus, too?
Blessings all mine with ten thousand beside!”
So where does this
fit in our “theme” of scriptures that speak to grace, mercy and
forgiveness? I’m glad you asked! These days, I find myself in an
interesting position. I am smack in the middle of “middle age”! And
from this vantage point, I can see what lies behind me...and to some
degree, what lies ahead. I am blessed to know and love many truly
beautiful women (and a few men) who are ahead of me on this
journey...folks who have “been there and done that” – and not only
survived but continue to grow and improve (in every sense of the word)
with age.
I also have a birds-eye view of the lives of several
people who are younger than I...to observe their daily living with my
own “been there, done that” view. There are times when I am swelled
with pride at how they are growing and becoming more beautiful – inside
and out ...and times when I wish I could say, “Let me save you some
hassle and heartache.” I am not in the same league as the Apostle Paul
by a long shot...but I do think this was how he was feeling when he
wrote this letter to the Philippians.
So here’s my grace-filled,
merciful, forgiving message for today...a lot of what we think is
important really isn’t. Our goals and desires are not all that different
from those who preceded us...and a lot of us have not really paid
attention and learned from both their successes and their mistakes. We
have shining examples at every turn of people who have grown...and who
have developed a life in Christ in a manner that has made all the
difference in their personal lives. Nobody gets it right all of the
time...there was only one perfect human being - Jesus Christ. But Paul
is calling us to focus on Jesus...to keep our “eyes on the prize” of His
salvation, blessings...and ultimately, Eternity in His presence.
If
you are a young person reading this message, take a look around and
find some older mentors who are demonstrating that they are focused on
“pressing toward the mark” of an abundant, obedient life in Jesus
Christ. Listen to them...learn from their mistakes and how they correct
them. Figure out what makes them “age” so beautifully...and pattern
your own life after them.
If you are an older person who has
experienced the grace, mercy, patience and forgiveness of Jesus - and
grown in your walk with Him - make yourself available to others who need
your example. Be on the lookout for people to nurture and support in
their own faith walk and growth. Be merciful and kind toward those who
seem to keep repeating the same mistakes over and again...offer them
gentle encouragement and examples of how to step out of this rut and
move forward.
If you find yourself where I am - smack in the
middle...take advantage of your position, and offer encouragement and
support to those on both sides. Learn from and reassure those who are
ahead of you...and share your blessings with those who follow. Be the
“light of Christ” you are called to be. Embrace the physical wrinkles
and sags that chronicle your life’s journey.
In the television
show, “Brothers and Sisters,” actress Sally Field portrayed Nora Walker,
the 60-something matriarch of a family fraught with issues of all
kinds. Nora becomes concerned with her wrinkles. A loved one points out
to Nora that a facelift and rearranging her face will not change
anything – unless she changes herself! Nora decides to embrace her
wrinkles, saying something to the effect of...“I earned every one of
them.” What do your “sags and wrinkles” say about you...or what WILL
they say (if you are yet young and have not experienced this)? Will you
be beautiful and ageless because of your inner efforts to press forward
with Jesus? Or will you wear your life’s journey like a road map in a
congested metropolitan area?
Will you share the mercy and grace
of Jesus with others as you grow...and encourage those who are just
getting started? Are you “straining to reach the end of the race and
reach the prize” of heaven? How are you “aging” in your walk with
Jesus? When others look at you, what – and WHO – do they see?
©2014 Debbie Robus
*Feathers
From My Nest: A Mother’s Reflections ~ ©2005 by Beth Moore ~ Published
by B & H Publishing Group – Nashville, Tennessee
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