The Friday afternoon session of the C3 Conference in Nashville last week featured Paul Young, the author of The Shack and Baxter Kruger, the author of The Shack Revisited.

Their session explored the relationship between God and Jesus, and how we enter into that relationship. I was intrigued that both men said, “It took me 50 years to believe how much God loves me.”

I’ve had the same thought. I was always a churchgoer and “believer” but it wasn’t until breast cancer in 2006 followed by divorce that I paused long enough to do some serious soul searching, and finally gave up control of my life to God. Those are my words too, “It has taken me 50 years to believe how much God loves me.”

It would be wonderful to impart this wisdom to young people, and spare them the pain that life brings when we are disappointed in relationships and people who we are close to die. Maybe verbal descriptions of events are insufficient, and it is only experiences that bend us toward God.

God uses older people in many ways:

Wisdom: “Is not wisdom found among the aged? Does not long life bring understanding?”- Job 12:12

Renewal: “Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. – 2 Corinthians 4:16

Righteousness: “Gray hair is a crown of splendor, it is attained in the way of righteousness.” – Proverbs 16:31

Fruitful: “They will still bear fruit in old age, they will stay fresh and green.” - Psalm 92:14

In Acts 7:23,30 we read that Moses was eighty years old when “an angel appeared to him in the flames of a burning bush in the desert near Mount Sinai.”

I’m thankful that God is still using us and showing us his wisdom even when we are “over 50.”

Is there someone in your life who is “over 50” and knows God? Honor them by forwarding this post to them today, and tell them what a blessing they are in your life. 

Blessings, my friend,
Agatha

(click below for MP3 file)