Title: Things to do when you are old
Contents
"Do not forsake me when I am old, and do not leave me when I am weak."
F J Crosby is still famous as the lyricist for our favorite hymns. Although he was blind due to illness as a child, he lived a life of beautiful fruit in Christ until old age. Especially at the twilight of his life, his words still resonate with our hearts.
“I've been trying to develop a cheerful personality for decades now. Because I've seen a lot of cases where people change their personality as they get older and don't get along well with others. So I made this decision a long time ago. I will never be a nerdy old man and I will always be a cheerful person wherever I go. It is my goal to live a mature, prosperous and joyous old age. I want to be an old man loved by people, not someone people are afraid of.”
If we too strive like Mrs. Crosby while dreaming of a wonderful self-portrait in Christ, one day we will be able to become loved by others.
“In the last days, saith God, I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh, and your children shall prophesy, your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams” (Acts 2:17).
There is a painter named Lieberman, who is called ‘the American Chagall’. He started painting at the age of eighty. Born in Poland, Lieberman immigrated to the United States with only $5 at the age of nine, and was an ordinary man who ran a candy store in Manhattan. After retiring at the age of 74, Lieberman spent his leisure time playing Go at the elderly home. But one day, his Go partner broke his promise, and he was spending a lot of free time alone. Then a young volunteer said,
“Let’s draw a picture”
Lieberman found a studio, and from then on he was educated for 10 weeks and showed incredible talent. It was when he was eighty-one.
The painter Liebermann was called “American Chagall with primitive eyes,” and his paintings sold wildly. He surprised the world by opening his 22nd solo exhibition at the age of one hundred. It's never too late for anything until your heart stops beating. It's just that we're not trying.
“Grandchildren are the crown of the old, and parents are the glory of their children” (Proverbs 17:6).
“Wisdom is with the old, and understanding with those who live long” (Job 12:12).
Dr. Stanley Jones, famous as a missionary, based on his own experiences in his later years, he advised people in old age that if they pay attention to the following 7 things, they can continue to grow as they get older.
First, don't retire.
Second, try to learn something new every day.
Third, be kind to someone.
Fourth, don't be passive.
Fifth, find something to be grateful for around you every day.
Sixth, do not worry about the decline of physical activity, but do more spiritual activity.
Seventh, build up your deeds, leftovers, and spiritual heritage in heaven as the Bible says, “stack up in heaven.”
Historical statistics show that 35% of the greatest achievements in world history were accomplished by seniors aged 60-70, 23% by seniors aged 70-80, and 6% by people in their 80s. After all, about 64% of historical achievements have been accomplished by people over the age of 60.
One of the problems of modern society is the problem of the elderly. The social security system related to the welfare of the elderly is also a problem, but the bigger problem is the feeling of alienation that the elderly feel. However, those who are with God can stand firm without being disappointed in any circumstance.
* Prayer: God, the source of hope, help me to always have a green heart even when I am old. Don't let me be alone in my life and always keep me in communion with God. Without the presence of the Lord, the fountain of my hope will inevitably dry up. May I receive your grace and dwell in hope. Help my family, relatives, and friends who still do not know you from being engrossed in futility, and deliver them from the folly of enjoying stability in the turbulence of the world. Praise the great God who sees the future without looking at my past. May your vision become my vision so that I can carry out your work with the power of the Holy Spirit. We pray in the name of our Savior Jesus. Amen