You’re Not Too Old – and You’re Not Too Young Either

It’s a Sunday morning, and I’m sitting at the back of the gathering room at a senior-living center.

Eight people are facing a TV screen fixed to the wall. There’s a smattering of wheeled walkers in various colors, with those flip-up, padded seats where you can keep your purse and your hanky.

Behind me, I can hear a machine pumping someone’s supplemental oxygen.

It’s Sunday morning, and in this room, we are watching a live-streamed church service. I’m with my mom. She lives here now, and while living in a facility wasn’t Mom’s first choice, this is life, and she’s making the most of it. She’s meeting new people, trying new things, and showing up on Sunday mornings, like a champ, with a small group of people who – like her – love Jesus.

The pastor’s message on the TV screen is stirring, for sure. But there’s a whole ‘nother sermon being preached in the room, and I’m captivated. I scan the room and see a handful of men and women in their 70s, 80s, and 90s, leaning in.

They are leaning toward the TV, but even more, they are leaning in toward God to take note of what He wants to say to them right now.

Instinctively, they seem to know that God is continuing to grow them – just like He did from the very beginning of their lives. They seem to understand that one doesn’t reach a certain point of having “mastered” this thing called faith.

And isn’t that what we all need to know, no matter what age we are?

If we are still breathing on this earth, God is still working. God is molding us, growing us, and conforming us more and more to His likeness. It’s just what He does.

That’s true when we are in our teens and 20s … and it’s equally true when we are in our 80s or 90s.

God didn’t bring us to earth as fully matured humans, with our intellect and spirituality completely formed. Instead, He deliberately chose to grow us slowly through each stage of life – proof that He continues working in us until we breathe our last breath.

When I read the Bible, I see how true this is. Many people from the Bible “grew up” with God and served Him until the very end of their lives.

Moses served God until his death at 120 years old (Deuteronomy 34:5-7).

Joshua remained faithful until his death at 110 years old (Joshua 24:29-31).

Daniel continued to grow with God, and never wavered in his faith. He honored God even in his old age.

And Paul dedicated his life to preaching the gospel, enduring many hardships along the way. Near the end of his life, Paul said, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith” (2 Timothy 4:7 NIV).

That is what we are called to do – to grow one day at a time, one step at a time, until we have finished the race.

If you are wondering right now if God has stopped “growing” you, be assured: HE HAS NOT. He was steadfast and faithful to Moses, to Joshua, to Daniel, to Paul, and to countless others in biblical times, and throughout world history.

And He is steadfast and faithful to you and me today. He is growing us, even now.

I challenge you to pray this prayer to God today: “Lord, keep working in my heart. Keep growing my faith. Keep me close to You all the days of my life, until I take my last breath.”

And then, take a deep breath… and count on the fact that God loves that prayer. He is answering it already.

God is never done working in our hearts and lives, no matter how young or old we are.