Rev Francisco BilogPsalms 90:9-10, 12; Psalm 71:9, 14-18
“We live our lives beneath your wrath. We end our lives with a groan. Seventy years are given to us! Some may even reach eighty. But even the best of these years are filled with pain and trouble; soon they disappear and we are gone…Teach us to make the most of our time, so that we may grow in wisdom.”
Intro: This is probably the oldest Psalm in the Bible, and was composed by Moses during the 40 years wandering of the children of Israel in the wilderness. There is so much spiritual profit in meditating this Psalm but, at the moment, fix your attention on v.9. We see that life is likened to a tale that is told, not read. Those were the days when reading material was not as common or as plentiful as in our times. That is why there were then a good number of men who were professional storytellers. These were always welcomed in military camps, in towns, villages and wherever there are people who would listen. Verses 9-10 are simple scripture verses yet suggestive. Life on earth is like a story because:
1. There are long stories and short ones, so there are long lives and there are very short ones. Of course we cannot always measure life by years, as we can measure a story by pages or inches. It is what we have accomplished for the Lord in our life that really counts. It is what we do for Christ in our days and years that will decide the value of the life we lived (cf. Phil. 1:21 “For me, living is for Christ”). Near the end of his earthly life, notice the dying words of Paul (II Tim. 4:6-8, “As for me my life, has already been poured out as an offering to God. The time of my death is near. I have fought a good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful. And now the prize awaits me- the crown of life that the Lord, the righteous judge, will give me on that day of his return. And the prize is not just for me but for all who eagerly look forward to his glorious return.” ). If you were to die tomorrow, what testimony would you have?
2. There are boring stories and interesting ones, so there are lives that are boring and unattractive; whereas there are lives that are exciting and full of change. Of course peoples’ tastes differ. What seems boring and uninteresting to some is actually considered quite attractive by others. If the Lord were to read our lives now, will He find them very interesting or boring in His sight? (Job. 14:1 -“ How short is life, and how full of trouble” cf. Gen. 47:9- “I have lived for 130 years, but I am still not nearly as old as many of my ancestors”)
3. There are bad stories and there are good ones, so there are lives that are very bad examples and bring evil influences. But there are also lives that are really of good testimony and a blessing to all. We have only one life to live on earth and we should desire to be as useful and profitable to God and man as much as possible (Acts 23:1 cf. 24:16- “ Brothers, I have always lived before God in all good conscience.”…” I always try to maintain a clear conscience before God and everyone else.”)
4. There are stories that have a glorious mission, whereas there are others that are constantly producing nothing but evil and the works of the flesh. We can think of books that have produced great and positive results, such as Dr. Jose Rizal’s “Noli Me Tangere” which opened the eyes of the world to the terrible abuses of Spain in the Philippines. Is your life an open book to the people around you? Does your life become an instrument in helping and influencing your neighbor to change for the better? (I Pet. 2:12; 3:16- “Be careful how you live among your unbelieving neighbors. Even if they accuse you of doing wrong; they will see your honorable behavior, and they will believe and give honor and glory to God.”)
5. How then can my life be as a good and beneficial tale? For life to be good and useful, there are 3 conditions.
a. MUST HAVE THE RIGHT AUTHOR. It takes a genius to produce a truly great tale, one that will live on and on for generations. Only the Lord Jesus Christ can produce a life that is like a good, useful, and helpful tale (II Cor. 5:17-“ persons Those who become Christians become new. persons. They are not the same anymore, for the old is gone. A new life has come!”). We must be His workmanship or masterpiece (Eph. 2:10). We cannot do this in ourselves, so we must submit to the Lord’s gracious and marvelous power only.
b. MUST HAVE THE RIGHT HERO. The quality and value of a book will be ultimately judged; and indeed so greatly dependent upon the good character of its hero. If the Lord Jesus Christ is the very hero and center of our lives, then all will be well in our life story(I Cor. 2:2; Phil. 3:8).
c. MUST HAVE THE RIGHT PURPOSE. A book without a good object or purpose is likely to be poor and unprofitable book! To be valuable, a book must have the right reason so the time spent reading it will be meaningful. What is the object of your life? Are you doing everything for the glory of God? Remember your object as a Christian believer is, “Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God” (I Cor. 10:32). What a great object and privilege is this indeed!
Now this message is for the young and for the old. For we are never too old to serve the Lord, and we can definitely never retire from serving Him. David in his old age said: Psalm 71:9, 14-18
“Do not cast me off in the time of old age; Do not forsake me when my strength fails. But as for me, I will hope continually, and will praise You yet more and more. My mouth shall tell of Your righteousness and of Your salvation all day long; for I do not know the sum of them. I will come with the mighty deeds of the Lord GOD; I will make mention of Your righteousness, Yours alone. O God, You have taught me from my youth, and I still declare Your wondrous deeds. 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.”
As we saw in our scripture reading, God’s Word shatters the myth that once we have reached a certain age that we have “served our time”. It also encourages those of us who believe we are too old to serve.
This Psalms shows that David never considered himself as retired from serving the Lord and telling people of God’s goodness.
It’s plain to see this was written for those in their senior years when we look at verse 9 which says, “Do not cast me off in the time of old age”
David was an old man when he spoke these words and we read that his strength was failing him as well and he pleaded that God not forsake him.
When David made this plea to God he didn’t doubt that God was with him. David was asking God to continue showing His glory through him as he had always done all his life. David still desired to be used by the Lord.
The Psalm says that David never ceased from telling people about God’s righteousness and His salvation.
Just like David, we should never stop telling people about the salvation that they can find in Jesus Christ.
David was unwilling to give up his witness even when old age was stealing his strength. He asked God to never stop using him until he had spoken of the Lord’s goodness to his entire generation.
David was committed to serving God until the very end of his days. He would never give up trying to reach the people around him with the message of salvation.
A little boy was playing with his friends in the yard. His great grandmother, in her 70’s, watched with great joy as the little guys burned off some energy. After a while her grandson came over and asked her to join his team. Her automatic response was, “I’m too old to play those games now.”
Just like this woman, when we are asked to participate in something to often our reply is “I’m too old for that.”
This seems to be especially true when it comes to serving God. However, the Bible shows us we are never too old to serve God, it can be as simple as telling people about Jesus.
Don’t allow yourself to give in to frustration, failure and bitterness. These things have no place in the life of the Christ Follower. Don’t let your old age steal your witness and make you say ‘What’s the use?’
People often give in to the “what’s the use” mentality when they get old and their spiritual gifts become paralyzed permanently all because of some failure or disappointment they experienced years ago that they haven’t given over to God.
In Tagum city I saw neighbor replacing the roof on his son’s house at 91. The song ‘Ave Maria’ was written when Verdi was 85. Ronald Reagan was the most powerful man in the world at age 75
This idea that life should be winding down at 50 or 60 years of age is crazy. The idea that we can grow too old to serve the Lord or the notion that we have “served our time for the kingdom” is just as crazy.
Folks as we grow older, I pray that we don’t grow colder in the things of God. This is the time to proclaim the glories of God to this generation just as David did
The great evangelist John Wesley is a good example of serving God in one’s senior years. “In Wesley’s life, he rode 350,000 miles on horseback, preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ. He preached over 40,000 different sermons.
As he grew older, at the age of 83 he complained because he could only study for fifteen hours a day.
At the age of 86 he became concerned about his spiritual state because he felt that he had become slothful by sleeping in until 5 a.m. At 87 he learned his eleventh foreign language. And at 88 he was worried because he could only preach twice a day, every day, six days a week.”
George Muller, another great evangelist, is said to have traveled 200,000 miles, using his gift of tongues to preach in seven different languages to an estimated three million people. Muller’s ministry didn’t began until the age of 70 and continued for the next 17 years.
Take it from these guys: You are never too old to be of service to the Lord.
If you believe that you are not physically able to serve the Lord in your senior years, then please don’t feel down. All you really need is a willing heart and the knowledge that God loves you and sent his only Son to give you the gift of eternal life in God’s kingdom.
When John Newton, the writer of ‘Amazing Grace,’ was old, a friend asked him if his memory had gotten bad. Newton replied, “Yes, but I remember two things: He said, I know I’m a great sinner and I know I have a great Savior; and I don’t need to remember much more than that”.
God wants you to know today, that you are still of great benefit to Him and He still wants to use you for His glory. Just tell of God’s saving grace to all whom you meet. Lift many of your friends, pastors, missionaries, families in your supplication and intercessions unto the Lord. Remember God hears the prayers of the faithful. To nanang Tibang, what I am saying is, no one really retire from serving the Lord.
To Jojo, God is giving you more long time and opportunity to serve him. Write a beautiful story of love and service to your love ones, your family, your church and the people you will serve. There may be ups an down but let it end like St. Paul saying: “ I have fought a good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful. And now the prize awaits me- the crown of life that the Lord, the righteous judge, will give me on that day of his return. And the prize is not just for me but for all who eagerly look forward to his glorious return.” ).
Let us remember that our life story is written in the book of life, (Rev. 20:12- And the books were opened, including the book of life. And all were judge according to the things written in the books, according to what they had done.”
Conclusion: What kind of a story is your life telling? How do people read it? A believer is going to die like anyone else but with a difference – assurance of salvation (Psa. 23:6)!!!