I received my first AARP material in the mail six years ago.
I turned 61 years old two days ago. One of my sons says I am
fossilized.
I am a senior adult.
Have I noticed any differences in my life at this age?
Certainly. I move more slowly. My idea of a mini-marathon is running to the
kitchen from the family room. I see things differently. I don’t know if I am
wiser, but I certainly have different perspectives.
And I have to admit I view church life differently. In fact,
I sometimes scare myself with my rigid attitude. I need to write these words
quickly lest I become too comfortable or too complacent.
I have five specific prayers. They are for me. They are for
my attitude about my church. They are reminders I will need to review
constantly.
- I pray I will not feel entitled because I am a key financial supporter in the church. This attitude means I consider the money my money rather than God’s money. That means I am giving with a begrudging heart.
- I
pray I will not say “I’ve done my time” in the church. Ministry
through the local church is not doing your time, like serving a prison
sentence. It is an outpouring of joy and thanksgiving to God. I love those
churches where senior adults are the most represented among the nursery
workers. I need to be among them.
- I
pray I will not be more enthused about recreational trips than ministry
and service. There is nothing wrong about me getting on a bus and
going to Branson, Missouri, or Gatlinburg, Tennessee. But there is
something wrong when that is my dominant involvement in ministry in the church.
- I
pray I will not be more concerned about my preferences than serving
others. I’ve already blown it on this one. I did not like the
volume of the music in the service at my church a few weeks ago. I
complained about it to my wife. And then I was reminded of all the young
people in the church that Sunday worshipping and praising God during the
music. I was more concerned about my preference than seeing others worship
God.
- I
pray I will not have a critical spirit. I attended a business
meeting of a large church some time ago. The total attendance at the
meeting represented fewer than five percent of the worship attendance. One
of the men who recognized me approached me before the meeting, “We come
together at these business meetings to keep the pastor straight,” he told
me. In reality, they came together to criticize the pastor and staff. I
pray I will not become a perpetual critic. I don’t want to grow old and
cranky; I want to grow old and more sanctified.
Now that I am a senior adult in my own right, I need to make
certain I am not a stumbling block or a hindrance to health and growth in my
church. I pray my attitude will be like that of Caleb:
“Here I am today, 85 years old . . . Now give me the hill
country the Lord promised me on that day . . . Perhaps the Lord will be with me
and I will drive them out as the Lord promised” (Joshua 14:10-12, HCSB).
May the Lord grant me wisdom and service all the days of my
life, including my senior years.
Let me hear from you. I bet I will.
The post Five Things I Pray I Will Not Do as a Senior Adult in the
Church appeared first
on ThomRainer.com.
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