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Have a great rest of your life

I’ve never met Evelyn, but became acquainted with her through a letter she wrote expressing appreciation of my radio program for the help it provided during the loss of her husband of nearly sixty years.

Evelyn is a woman of faith. I can tell this by her statement, “God has helped me and your program has helped.” Then she added this line that challenged me and that I hope will do the same for each of my readers: “I am asking you to pray for me that I can find a new way to serve the Lord and be useful the rest of the time I have to live.”

Here is a woman who, after experiencing what was probably the greatest loss of her life, refuses to allow the past to get her down. She is unwilling to waste the years that remain and is seeking to make the most of her future. Most significantly, she is determined to find a way to serve God and others for the rest of her life.

Early in life Dr. Bill Bright developed a tract he called “The Four Spiritual Laws”, as a means of introducing college students to his Lord. Key among these laws was simply the statement, “God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life.”

Is this true?

Does God really care about the future of each of us?

Absolutely!

And there is no age limit that forbids getting in on this wonderful plan.

Retirement from the service of God is unknown and, as Evelyn expressed so clearly, regardless of age, the future can be as active and fulfilling as the past.

One of the most familiar Biblical characters acquainted with great accomplishments in old age is Caleb, one of the twelve spies sent out by Moses to scout the land of Canaan before the Israelites were to enter it after their deliverance from slavery in Egypt. Caleb and Joshua, another scout, advised Moses to proceed, but because of the doubts of the ten other scouts, the conquest of Canaan was delayed for forty years.

Caleb was then 85 but requested and received the position of leading the conquest of the most difficult part of Canaan to conquer. Read the Biblical text (Numbers 14:8-9) and you can almost see the fire in his eyes as he feels the decades drop away. Age will not hold him back because he has a job to do and intends to do it.

How do we discover and get in on God’s wonderful plan?

Evelyn started seeking it and asked others to pray for her in her quest.

What’s your strategy for discovering new ways to serve God?

You may want to start by asking the advice of your pastor.

An important part of my work has been preparing churches for the arrival of a new minister. Usually, I suggest that members greet the new arrival by offering to serve in any way possible.

In volunteering to do anything that will build up your church and enhance the pastor’s ministry, you may discover talents and abilities that have been unknown or unused and be launched on a new adventure of serving God and others, allowing you to feel useful and fulfilled for the rest of your life.

EDITOR’S NOTE: Roger Campbell was an author, a broadcaster and a columnist who was a pastor for 22 years. Contact us at rcministry@ameritech.net.

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