Cure for the burden of my age

An Emoji Devotions for Sat, 10th April 2021

Topic: Cure for the burden of my age

By H.U Wenger

Highlights: Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. 2. Corinthians 4:16 – 18)

Do not cast me away when I am old; do not forsake me when my strength is gone (Psalm 71, 9)

Apostle Paul and his companions go through such big troubles in Asia that they think about their own demise. “We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, about the troubles we experienced in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired of life itself. Indeed, we felt we had received the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead.” (2. Corinthians 1:8 – 9) God miraculously saves them and Paul exclaims in the second chapter: “But thanks be to God, who always leads us as captives in Christ’s triumphal procession and uses us to spread the aroma of the knowledge of him everywhere.” (2. Corinthians 2:14) Christ has won all the battles and the apostle knows himself as a part of his triumph and considers it a privilege to suffer with Christ. Every suffering and every trouble is for him not only a difficulty or bad luck, but as well a possibility for the revelation of Christ’s glory.

“We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that his life may also be revealed in our mortal body. (2. Corinthians 4, 8 – 11) 

The writer of Psalm 71 lives with a similar attitude, even if he is more concerned about his old age, he makes very clear that he trusts the Lord unwaveringly and that above all, he wants to praise his faithfulness. “In you, Lord, I have taken refuge; let me never be put to shame. … From birth I have relied on you; you brought me forth from my mother’s womb. I will ever praise you. … My mouth is filled with your praise, declaring your splendor all day long. Do not cast me away when I am old; do not forsake me when my strength is gone. For my enemies speak against me; those who wait to kill me conspire together. … As for me, I will always have hope; I will praise you more and more. My mouth will tell of your righteous deeds, of your saving acts all day long— though I know not how to relate them all.

 I will come and proclaim your mighty acts, Sovereign Lord; I will proclaim your righteous deeds, yours alone. … Though you have made me see troubles, many and bitter, you will restore my life again; from the depths of the earth you will again bring me up. You will increase my honor and comfort me once more. I will praise you with the harp for your faithfulness, my God; I will sing praise to you with the lyre, Holy One of Israel. My lips will shout for joy when I sing praise to you— I whom you have delivered. My tongue will tell of your righteous acts all day long, for those who wanted to harm me have been put to shame and confusion.”

Paul and the writer of Psalm 71 are not occupied with their own lives, but rather with the glory of God. Every age has its own challenges that are unescapable. We can get lost in turning around ourselves, or we can thrive by concentrating on the bigger truth, on the giver of life and of his might and glory. 

Prayer: Lord Jesus, let me concentrate on your kingdom and its righteousness so that I can minimize the concerns and the sorrows about my sufferings and challenges of my little life.