Old Age. Adventure. NoretirementinGod'skingdom.

I heard and read three things this week which got me pondering my contribution to life. The first was from an organisation called Our Daily Bread which gives reflections on a Bible reading plan. It talks about a an ancient lure used to catch trout:

"Fishermen still use this lure today. It is called the Red Hackle. First used over 2,200 years ago, it remains a snare for trout by which we “get the better of them.”
As the years add up, God's faithfulness keeps multiplying.

When I read that ancient work I thought:Not all old things are passé—especially people. If through contented and cheerful old age we show others the fullness and deepness of God, we’ll be useful to the end of our days. Old age does not have to focus on declining health, pining over what once was. It can also be full of tranquility and mirth and courage and kindness, the fruit of those who have grown old with God.

“Those who are planted in the house of the Lord . . . shall still bear fruit in old age; they shall be fresh and flourishing” (Ps. 92:13–14 nkjv).

Lord, thank You for Your faithfulness throughout our lives. Help us finish our lives well in service to You and to remember that old age does not mean uselessness.

As the years add up, God’s faithfulness keeps multiplying."

The second was a reflection and celebration on Jackie Pullinger's life, as she has served God so faithfully and pioneeringly in Hong Kong for the last FIFTY years. It was by Pete Greig, founder of 24-7, He says: "Giving thanks today for this woman whose resilient witness over FIFTY years has impacted millions of lives, including my own. Whilst working with Jackie Pullinger I found my faith, discovered the power of prayer, saw that women can lead as well as men, smuggled bibles, ate dog-meat, chased men in pyjamas through Kowloon, and came to understand God's fundamental passion for justice.

Without Jackie Pullinger there might well still be a 24-7Prayer movement but I'm not sure I would ever have had the joy of being part of it. Thank you Jackie for changing this one life."

And the third was hearing about a very elderly member of my church. When my dear friend Renee went into a residential home, little Margaret Le Page faithfully posted Renee the weekly church newsletter, with a handwritten note of encouragement. Now she herself is in a nursing home, but she prays for the church members and phones them to ask how they are so that she knows more specifically how to pray for them. All she has is an armchair and a phone... and a heart willing to serve the Lord in any way she can.

As Cat and Andy prepare to go to Iraq, serving refugees, I reflect on what I have done for my life to serve God. And yes, I know it's not about DOING but BEING the best person God has designed me to be, but nevertheless.... doing is outworking of being. The most 'Jackie Pullinger' type of thing I have ever done is to teach in a bush school in Africa for a couple of years.  And spend the rest of my life trying to work out how to live better. I said 'yes' to Jesus forty odd years ago and have been trying to work out what that means and how to do it best every since.

So, nearing retirement from paid work in a couple of years, I, as I suspect others of my age do, start to reflect on how much time I have left on this earth and what I can do with it. If I were to die in a year's time, what would I do now?  

Not sure.  But it's good to reflect, be intentional... and not take myself too seriously. As in these videos:

Angels. Bringers of peace for troubled hearts. Beckoning to adventure.

The appearance of an angel does not normally inspire peace in the heart of those who encounter him. To the contrary, an angel causes fear and confusion. His appearance is, after all, outside the normal sphere of human activity.

Zechariah was one such. In the dark and gloom of the Holy of Holies, the Innermost Presence of the Mighty One, something so strange and supernatural occurred that he was gripped by.fear.  Unable to move, he cowered in front of a mighty being, glowing with unaccustomed light. Did he wonder if it was God himself appearing? for no one can see His face and live.

The Messenger brought peace. "Don't be afraid, Zechariah." Fear could go, for God knew Zechariah by name. The message was for him and no other.
The Messenger brought hope: peace in the future. For Zechariah could have peace with God, now knowing, after so many years and tears, that God had heard his cries.
God listened.
God AGREED with Zechariah.
God promised.
Zechariah no longer had to be afraid.

Nor did Mary. What was she doing when Gabriel appeared to her? Walking home from the market; baking bread; perhaps sweeping the house, squinting to get the dirt out of dark corners when light came in and shattered her peace. "“Don’t be afraid! God is pleased with you..." "

So Mary said, "Yes, I see it all now: I’m the Lord’s maid, ready to serve.
Let it be with me just as you say."
And peace entered her heart.

Joseph, too. (Oh, so many angels, so very busy with the Good News of the Saviour.) A good and kind man, compassionate for an unfortunate girl, wanting to just send her away quietly without the disgrace and punishment her unwed pregnancy deserved. BUT GOD sent an angel in a dream. This angel, too, brought the promise of peace: Joseph should not be afraid to marry Mary for she was pure and godly.  Surely Joseph clung to this message, facing condemnation and ridicule for marrying the girl pregnant with a child not his own. For who would believe in an angelic visitation on the word of a girl?

So many angels. So much fear. So much promised peace.

And when we have peace, we have hope. Hope to sustain us on the adventure of life. Tom Herring, Jonny's good friend, writes:
"The toil of a difficult journey is certainly eased when shared with good friends.

What makes an adventure?  A key element that makes adventures fun, is the fact that they have an end. The sense of achievement we feel that we managed to survive, that we had what it took to see it to the end, is what makes good memories. There are probably not many people who would enjoy spending the rest of their life fighting for survival in a remote jungle. The best part of getting lost, is when you find your way home.

The great adventure  I believe that for all of us, life is supposed to be an epic adventure – one full of fun and discovery. My wife likes to say that ‘we were born for a life full of risk and full of play’. We made this a foundation of our relationship, and now aim to build our family on it. It guides our decisions, as we choose to embrace risk and savour the unknown.

But sometimes life doesn’t seem like a good adventure. It can become a frightening, unenjoyable journey. All of us can feel overwhelmed by challenges and difficulties, or confused about what to do in certain situations, perhaps with no one to turn to for help. Sometimes life can simply be boring.

I think that one of the main reasons life becomes this way, is when we no longer expect good things to happen.

How to Illuminate the darkness  To live an adventure, for the sense of fun and delight in the journey to remain, we need hope. Expecting good things is like turning on a torch that illuminates the path before us, no matter how dark or difficult it becomes. It enables us to stand up and continue our journey, and remember that we’re headed somewhere great.

How to get hope   Despite what many think, hope isn’t based on circumstances. It isn’t a personality trait, like being optimistic. It is an underlying certainty that what lies around the corner, is good – even when there’s nothing promising on the horizon.

This may sound like wishful thinking or foolishness. How can I expect something great in my life if there is no rational reason for it to happen?

Expecting positive things to happen terrifies most of us to the core, because it sets us up to fail. I’ll only be disappointed, We think. The truth is though, is that little good can happen in our lives without the presence of hope. It creates an enabling environment inside of us, where new things can grow. Instead of being crushed by our circumstances and remaining stagnant, it enables us to push on, and overcome, like in every good adventure.

‘But I’ve had a hard life, nothing good ever happens to me’, some people say. If that’s you, learning to believe that good things are on the way is even more necessary. To move on and start enjoying the journey, hope is essential – no matter how terrifying it may be. Otherwise the cycle of lack and struggle is likely only to continue.

If you want life to be an adventure rather than drudgery, dare to believe good things are on their way for you. By nurturing that kind of belief, you will find yourself going about life in a very different way. You will keep fighting and taking risks, pushing through adversity, getting stronger, becoming wiser, and most of all, each day you will become younger and more filled with life."

And we think of the angel stories and we accept the peace they offer but we fail to engage with the incredible adventure of faith laid out before us: Zechariah facing ridicule, Mary facing scorn and even death, Joseph facing...scorn and ridicule... This is peace, when we step out on the adventure which God sets before us even in the face of scorn and ridicule.  For when we are not afraid, we have peace...

The fruits of the spirit...and adventure

Just posting a link here to some interesting posts on living out the fruits of the spirit by Lisa McKay, who I don't know
but is the friend of a friend
and whose husband is a friend of my daughter's boyfriend
and somehow Los Angeles connects with Vanuatu connects with New Zealand connects with Guernsey connects with Los Angeles
and all these connections just make me want to travel
and have great adventures even though I should think about retiring from my job...

I just have to figure out what those adventures will look like.