How often do you find yourself saying, “I’m too old for that,” or joking about not being able to teach an old dog new tricks? Age never seems to be far from the conversation these days – or is that because of my age?
My husband and I took our oldest to the baseball field one night recently to hit him some balls and throw him a little batting practice. I started to hit him some fly balls when my husband reminded me to be careful and not hurt myself because I’m not as young as I used to be. For the record, we took turns hitting and pitching to him so neither of us had to do too much. All of three of us avoided injury for those of you who are concerned, but I was sore for a couple of days.
A few days later I was struggling with a technology issue in a Facebook group where I’m an administrator. I told the group that the problem was that I’m too old. I made that statement and then switched to check my email. The very first email was from a company I like called Natural Life. I opened it and was instantly greeted with that picture that says, “You are not too old and it is not too late.”
Friends, my blaming being old to one group was followed by that message not more than one minute later. The Holy Spirit had just confirmed this message. I wish I could adequately describe what that feels like. All I can say is that if you know you know. In an instant I knew the gist of this whole message.
Age is just a number, but in some cases it does matter. I mean I want the senior discount on movie ticket prices but I’m just not there yet. My 12-year-old has no business driving a car. Sometimes age is very much relevant, but sometimes it isn’t.
We could look to David, Samuel, or even Mary who were all very young when God called them do major work in His name. We could also go to the other end of the spectrum and look at how God allowed Abraham and Sarah to be parents in their old age or consider that Noah appears to have been at quite an advanced age when God asked him to build an ark.
However, God can use us at any age. That’s what flooded my heart when I said “I’m too old” and was met so quickly with a direct response of “you are not too old.” In a week when I was working out physical soreness from doing what my teenage self did without concern, spent a good amount of time looking for age-defying cream to put around my tired eyes, and battled to try and figure out what combination of clicks and wizardry would make the online magic happen, age felt relevant. It felt like it mattered a lot.
But when, in the same week, I got a text asking for a specific prayer request, when I received an Instagram message saying how my words had mattered to someone, when I listened to my youngest tell me what he learned each night Bible School, and when God uses little moments to remind me of big truths to share with you – well, then age doesn’t matter so much. It’s the willingness to allow ourselves to be used by God that matters.
The Bible makes a strong case that we are to put aside youthful lusts and that we are to grow and mature in our faith, but it also makes a strong case that we have work to do no matter the stage we’re at in our respective race. In 2 Timothy 4:7 (NKJV), Paul says, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.”
We don’t quit before we’ve finished the race. Whether we are 15 or 90, there is always work to be done and always something we can do. One of my favorite portions of Scripture is in Isaiah 40. Verse 31 is quoted a lot for good reason, “But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.” But if we go back to the verses that precede that one, we learn that God doesn’t get tired and weary. Verse 30 says, “Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall.”
Our age my be a weakness by worldly standards, but if our faith is in the Lord then He meets us with His strength right there. We go through seasons where our age might play a part in a specific task, but I can assure you, you are not too old to do the work God has for you. Neither are you too young. Whether we are Sarah giving birth to a nation at 90, Mary giving birth to a savior in our early teens, or more likely somewhere in between, God can and will use us until our race is complete.
I might not write a best-selling book, but these very words might encourage someone who will. You are (at this age, in this time, with that skill and those experiences) the answer to someone’s prayer or the stable influence someone needs. God knows how old you are and the tasks He’s given you. You are exactly the right age. We don’t realize the Kingdom impact we can have by running our race to completion – whatever our age, no matter the odds or the plot twists along the way.
My friends keep at it. Stay the course. You are not too old. It is not too late.
