It's Not Too Late (And You're Not Too Old)

The other day as I was looking for a code I had stored in my phone to enter a building, I found a completely unrelated note I had written to myself: “It’s Not Too Late And You’re Not Too Old.”

I can’t remember the circumstances leading up to me writing myself that note a couple years ago (perhaps an indication that I am getting just a tad old!), but the personal word of encouragement came at just the right time.

If you are anything like me; not allowing our minds to conform to what the world tells us can be a challenge. However, we are instructed in the Word that we are to be in the world but not of the world. We are referred to as foreigners in a foreign land. God’s Word is full of stories of men and women who did not allow circumstances or age to stand in the way of being obedient to God’s call on his or her life.

The first book of the Bible introduces us to such a person. 

Abram (Later given the name Abraham) was a successful rancher when the Lord said, “Leave your country, your people and your father’s household and go to the land I will show you.” (Gen. 12:1) Abram was seventy-five years old when God sent him away with this promise, “I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.” (Gen. 12:2&3)

Abram obeyed because he trusted God, but that doesn’t mean that he wasn’t afraid. When God made a covenant with Abram, He first spoke a word of encouragement: “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your very great reward.” (Gen. 15:1)

Abraham was ninety nine years old when God promised to give him and his wife Sarah a child. When Sarah heard the news, she laughed to herself. Then the Lord said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh and say, ‘Will I really have a child, now that I am old? Is anything too hard for the Lord?” (Gen.18:13)

When life becomes difficult and dreams feel as cold as the dead of winter, our Father whispers, “Do not be afraid, it’s not too late and you’re not too old. Is anything too hard for the Lord?” 

Abraham’s life was not easy. God tested his faith greatly. Even when asked to sacrifice his only son, Abraham’s love for God did not run dry. Because of Abraham’s obedience, God promised “through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed, because you obeyed me.” (Gen.11:18)

I pray we can encourage one another in our faith as we press on through the difficult seasons of our lives when we feel that it is too late and we are too old. 

God has placed us where we are to reach those who do not yet know Him. Our lives and the lives of our offspring are in the hands of a God who has not forgotten us and who will fulfill His promises in our lives as we press on step by step in obedience.

God is our shield and our very great reward.

Stay the Course…

Sheila 

We Are All The Same

(This blog was written quite a few years ago and never shared. Whether or not you are a runner; this blog is referencing the human race which we are all partakers in! Let's make sure to not only focus on our own lives but to also look beside and behind us so that we can all cross the finish line!!!)

Last weekend I ran in a 10k city race.

With almost 400 runners at the start line; I surveyed the crowd of men and women of various ages, sizes and shapes.

As the race got underway, each person eventually found their place in the pack of runners until at last there was a rhythm to the race.  

You never know who you may end up running next to, or if you’ll run beside anyone at all.  Paces vary, ebbing and flowing, as each mile of the race takes its toll on a runner.  

For part of the race, I found myself running next to a man who was tall, and perhaps a little older than me.  And that is all I can tell you about him.  We acknowledged each other without words, as our eyes met.  His perseverance motivated me, giving me strength; and I believe that my presence strengthened him as well.  

I didn’t know his name, what he did for a living, or whether or not he was married or had children.  I didn’t care.  The feeling was mutual.  I realized something that we all know, but tend to forget over time; we are all the same.  Sure, we may look different, act different and have different backgrounds, but when it comes right down to it: we are the same.

In a running event, the rules change, as no title or amount of money earned gives one person an advantage over another.

Instead, each person is running for a personal purpose, pushing his or her body for one reason or another from the start line all the way through to the finish line.  

As I ran beside Tall Man, we passed other runners and other runners passed us.  At one point in the race I came upon a young man I had known for many years who had stopped running and was walking.  “Come on, you can do it.” I puffed as I ran past him.  “Okay, if you say so.” He responded, and he suddenly began to run again.  

We are all the same.  We all need to be encouraged and we all need to give encouragement.  Even without knowing each other’s names, we can speak life to another. Lies which tell us we are not strong enough to run a race of endurance flee with a single hope-filled word.  

We are all people who sweat, huff and puff, and run with our own form and style.  And we are all people who can choose to respect each other regardless athleticism or the lack thereof.  

Our journey is taking us to the same place for as many different reasons as there are different personalities.  Our goal is to see to it that we all finish our individual races and that we all finish the race corporately.  We run for reasons we wrestle with in our own hearts, and cheer for those who run ahead, beside and behind.

Sometimes friendships are forged through labored breathing on the trail, although words may or may not be spoken.   

And at the end of the race, when all have crossed the finish line, it is clear to each runner that we all needed one another to finish strong.  

We are all the same.

Stay the Course…

Sheila