We think of youth as the good old days of life. Not always so in the plan of God. We love the story of Jesus at the marriage in Cana. It shows that He enjoyed associating with people as well as his power to turn water into wine. There is also a powerful message in this story for those of us who are growing older. “Every man at the beginning doth set forth good wine; and when men have well drunk, then that which is worse; but thou hast kept the good wine until now.” (John 2:10) If Jesus can turn water into the best wine that is served at the end of the celebration, surely He can mold us into the best that we can be in the final years of our lives. “Is not wisdom found among the aged? Does not long life bring understanding?” Job 12:12
The best years of our life, in God’s plan, can be the last years. We may find that hard to believe. We give up; we quit; we fail to live up to our opportunities. History is filled with people who had significant achievement well into their golden years. For example, when Albert Schweitzer was well into his nineties he was working on a manuscript for a new book. We may never achieve what Schweitzer achieved, but there is a task for each of us, and we need to get to it—time’s a wasting!
Here’s a little poem to give you a chuckle for today, lest we take ourselves too seriously!
Beatitudes for the Friend of Aged
Blessed are they who understand
My faltered step and palsied hand;
Blessed are they who know my ear today
Must strain to catch the things they say;
Blessed are they who seem to know
That my eyes are dim and my wits are slow;
Blessed are they who looked away
When coffee spilled at the table today;
Blessed are they with a cheery smile
Who stop to chat for a while;
Blessed are they who never say,
“You’ve told me that story twice today”;
Blessed are they who know the way
To bring back memories of yesterday;
Blessed are they who make it known
That I’m loved, respected, and not alone;
Blessed are they who ease the days
On my journey Home in loving ways.
Author Unknown