A work of art

 

These days, commercials are everywhere for anti-aging creams, serums that plump skin, moisturizers that promise a youthful look. Doctors' offices are crowded with (masked during the pandemic) patients who wish for a lifted bosom, a not-so-double chin, and more. Gyms are full of people who are working hard to be fit and appear youthful.

As we mentioned last week, aging gracefully in the spiritual realm takes work, too. We discussed how God knows about our advancing years and He cares for us - and that we have responsibilities that are different from younger peoples' tasks. 

We said last week that aging gracefully requires intentionality. 

Let's look at that word: "intentionality is expressive of deliberateness, the trait of thoughtfulness in action or decision." Another dictionary explanation added that intentionality has to do with our "attitude in everyday life."

Okay, so in our everyday lives, we can be thoughtful in our actions and decisions, and careful of our attitudes . . . . as we prepare to live in eternity with God.

Wow. I just want to stop a minute and re-read what the Spirit just had me type. That's pretty significant, no? We always talk about living for Jesus; we remind ourselves that our desire is to be more Christlike; we strive each day to be more godly . . . . but this portion of our lives, especially, can be thought of as our final preparations to living in eternity with Him! (I think the scholars call this "sanctification"!)

May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. (I Thessalonians 5:23, NIV)

We mentioned last week that if one walked in the park on a pretty day, one might see all types of elderly folks, walking about, jogging (if they're able), playing checkers, or perhaps "people-watching" from a bench. That some would look pleasant, and some might look unpleasant! Have you thought about people in your life, or just people that you have observed over the years? Have you ever thought about what a godly, old lady should look like?

Hmmmmmm. I have to admit that I've had a picture in my mind of what godly aging should look like. It has more to it than just physical appearance or prowess. I don't know if Eleanor Roosevelt was a believer, but I like this quote that is attributed to her: "Beautiful young people are accidents of nature, but beautiful old people are works of art." (I would change that to say that the young people are not accidents of nature but that they are blessed by God, but that's a "whole 'nother story," as my grandma used to say.)

Anyway, "beautiful old people are works of art." A nicely turned phrase. But if I look at it more closely, I find myself in agreement; a work of art requires skill, investment of time, and creative effort. And in the case of people, we are not passive canvases. We are cooperators. It will be mostly God's skill and creative effort, but we certainly must assist with investing our time and our small measure of creativity . . . .

All of this to say, have we thought of some elderly ladies that have stood out in our mind? Have there been any godly mothers, grandmothers, or acquaintances that we respect? 

Then, how do we invest in this effort? How do we invest in our old age being graceful?

I think the first thing we can do is to think carefully about the Very Old ______ (insert your name there) that God would want to see. Maybe whip out that pen and paper again. Write down some things you feel God would want to see when He looks at the Very Old ______ (put your name in again!)

Next, let's pray about the words that we wrote down. Let's ask God what He would have us concentrate on first . . . 

The Spirit has whispered to me as I've prepared for this study that cooperating with God on this proposed work of art is going to push me to make some choices. He's told me that it's going to hurt my toes some, but that His stepping on my toes is going to have some beautiful results in the end. That in the end, that time that we hope for and perhaps dread at the same time, I will be at least a little bit more like His Son. And oh, how I long for that!

So, please ready yourselves for our coming studies. I hope that they will bless us all. (But we might want to have those band-aids handy for our toes!)