"A Man My Age" - by Kelvin Fizzell

As many of you know, I celebrated my 65^th birthday this past May. I had not been spending a lot of time reflecting (some read agonizing) on my age. I would generally go about the daily activities of life without giving it a second thought.

 

During a recent office visit, to review some routine tests, the doctor began the evaluation with the phrase “well, for a man your age”… I vaguely remember some discussions about cholesterol, blood pressure, yada, yada, yada… Honestly, the phrase “for a man your age” kept resonating in my mind! “A MAN MY AGE”… Had I been overlooking something? Was I supposed to be looking at life thru older lenses? Was I supposed to be acting differently? Was I supposed to slow down…not try to accomplish as much? Be more like “a man my age”?

 

During everyday life, self-doubt, apprehension, lack of self-confidence, or even the questioning of one’s faith can easily creep into our daily thought. If or when it does, God has this amazing capacity/timing for offering support and strength when we really need it. One needs only to be receptive in order to hear His guidance and direction. For this “man of my age” dilemma I was struggling with, God’s message came to me during a sermon series Pastor Rod offered on Sundays at Redeemer Church over the recent summer months. The sermons talked about a man from the Old Testament of the Bible by the name of Abraham. Abraham was well into his late 80’s when God asked him to do the unexpected…to pack up everything that he owned and to move to a land far away, from his family, and from everything that he had ever known in his life. Interestingly, God did not begin instructing Abraham by saying…I have something special for “a man your age” to do. God simply presented His vision to him. To God, Abraham’s age was inconsequential in the matter. Even though Abraham himself wondered why God would ask him to do all this as a “man of his age”, he faithfully did what God had asked of him. By being faithful, and overlooking his own self-doubt regarding his age, Abraham went on to build a great nation as God had promised that he would.

 

As we grow in years, it’s tempting to develop a mindset that discourages us from being open to opportunities that God places in front of us. This attitude should be put aside in every way. We should not be concerned with being “a person of our age”, but rather being “a person for all ages” when it comes to serving the Lord.

 

After this, Abram had a vision and heard the Lord say to him, “Do not be afraid, Abram. I will shield you from danger and give you a great reward.” Genesis 15:1 NIV