CHAPTER 6 FLOURISH TO NOURISH

 

FLOURISH to NOURISH

Welcome to Women’s Fellowship/Study. I’m so glad you joined me here as we learn about FLOURISHING in our senior years, in an anti-aging culture.  

AGING WITH GRACE, written by Sharon W. Betters and Susan Hunt, both in their “Afternoon of Life”, is encouraging to us as we maneuver through the stage of being 60 y.o. – 85 y.o.  (give or take a few years)

                        

I do recommend the book – I have underlined and highlighted, as there are so many thoughts I have, music that comes to my mind, or concepts from scripture that have become “a-ha” realizations.   Do you have "a-ha moments" in scripture?  It’s when you’ve been reading or reciting or hearing a scripture all your life, and suddenly the LORD gives you a new perspective about His love for you like you hadn’t thought of before.  A-Ha!

If you don’t have the book, I welcome you to follow along here where I write a summary of the chapter, in addition to my thoughts about it.   Let’s get started.

CHAPTER 6 is about ELIZABETH and the focus scripture is LUKE 1:5-48.

Read the LUKE text here.  Its long but don't skip it.

5 There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judaea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the course of Abia: and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elisabeth.6 And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless. 7 And they had no child, because that Elisabeth was barren, and they both were now well stricken in years. 8 And it came to pass, that while he executed the priest's office before God in the order of his course, 9 According to the custom of the priest's office, his lot was to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord. 10 And the whole multitude of the people were praying without at the time of incense.11 And there appeared unto him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense.12 And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him.13 But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John.14 And thou shalt have joy and gladness; and many shall rejoice at his birth.15 For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother's womb.16 And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God.
17 And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord. 18 And Zacharias said unto the angel, Whereby shall I know this? for I am an old man, and my wife well stricken in years. 19 And the angel answering said unto him, I am Gabriel, that stand in the presence of God; and am sent to speak unto thee, and to shew thee these glad tidings. 20 And, behold, thou shalt be dumb, and not able to speak, until the day that these things shall be performed, because thou believest not my words, which shall be fulfilled in their season. 21 And the people waited for Zacharias, and marvelled that he tarried so long in the temple. 22 And when he came out, he could not speak unto them: and they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple: for he beckoned unto them, and remained speechless. 23 And it came to pass, that, as soon as the days of his ministration were accomplished, he departed to his own house. 24 And after those days his wife Elisabeth conceived, and hid herself five months, saying, 25 Thus hath the Lord dealt with me in the days wherein he looked on me, to take away my reproach among men. 26 And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth, 27 To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary. 28 And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women. 29 And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be.
30 And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God. 31 And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name Jesus.
32 He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: 33 And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end. 34 Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man? 35 And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God. 36 And, behold, thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her, who was called barren. 37 For with God nothing shall be impossible. 38 And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her. 39 And Mary arose in those days, and went into the hill country with haste, into a city of Juda; 40 And entered into the house of Zacharias, and saluted Elisabeth. 41 And it came to pass, that, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost: 42 And she spake out with a loud voice, and said, Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb.
43 And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44 For, lo, as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in mine ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy.
45 And blessed is she that believed: for there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord. 46 And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord, 47 And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour. 48 For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.

Now the chapter starts with defending our circumstances of why we might not be able to FLOURISH – that is, to bud and grow and produce. Here's some of the reasons that hold us back:

·       You’re estranged from your grown child

·       You can’t seem to get past your grief

·       Your friends have moved away or have died

·       You’re alone and feel isolated

·       You have given up on God – He never answered your desires

·       You feel its too late for you

LUKE 18:27 “What is impossible with man is possible with God.”

God promises us that He will transform our fearful hearts to peaceful, trusting hearts as we go through this older stage of life.  And not only that, but He will use the changes He makes in us, to nourish others as well.   FLOURISH to NOURISH

I think we forget that our purpose as a Child of God is to live for Him, to glorify His name in all we do, and to bring about the transformation of other’s lives through sharing His love.

MY REFLECTION: I have to admit that while being sick for the last 3 weeks, I did not really think about furthering God’s kingdom when I was praying for healing for myself.    Take a moment to look back – what might you have been praying for recently or in the long term, that has yet to be answered?

Let’s focus on ELIZABETH.   She was barren.   She had wanted children and it didn’t happen. And now she was “advanced in years.”

Now think about something that you hoped for when you were young – something that you expected would be part of your life.  Perhaps a job or career; a new house; a successful business; a healthy child; or a houseful of children; a loving spouse; an opportunity to go to college; desire to work abroad; interest in serving your community as an elected official.

When you want something so much, it often becomes part of your thoughts and even actions - planning for it with the expectation it really will happen.

MY REFLECTION:  In the 1960's when I was growing up, a young lady started collecting things for her "hope chest."  Even if you didn't have a physical cedar chest, mothers and grandmothers, special aunts gifted family heirlooms, cloth, a wedding dress, quilt or baby clothes.  At the time, receiving these items were such an honor.  It was assumed you would marry and have a family.  Those desires were instilled in you from the generations past. 

Or perhaps you give up on your goal because you assume too much time has gone by or you’re “past your prime.”

That was Sarah – she laughed when God told her that she and Abraham would have a child – she thought she was too old.

That is Elizabeth in today's text – she had to set her desire to have a child aside because she was “advanced in years.”

This concept and scripture invites us to consider whether we “die to self.”  I haven’t always understood that.   This was my “aha” moment.   Elizabeth had to get to the point where she put her desires aside, and be open to serving the Lord by doing whatever He had in mind for her.  

I don’t think that is easy to do, especially when you have had your mind or heart set on your goal for a long time.

Elizabeth’s life shows how HOPE and WAITING intertwine or are interchangeable, such as in PSALM 25:3: “No one who HOPES in you (the LORD) will ever be put to shame.”

And from my favorite Bible verse from Isaiah 40:31:

“But they who wait (Hope) for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not be faint.” (page 116)

Note that the first word “But” sets the tone for the whole text.  It doesn’t say AND they who wait, or SINCE those who wait.  The word “BUT” is the result of something.  So to get the full meaning of why “BUT” is there, we will read the verse(s) before that.

Isaiah 40: 28-31

“Do you not know? Have you not heard?

The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth.

He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom.

He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.

Verse 30 gives us a reason for the “BUT” of verse 31

Even youths grow tired and weary,

    and young men stumble and fall; BUT those who wait upon the LORD.

I’ve loved this verse for much of my adult life, but I had never considered that the focus could mean me in my older years! Its another A-HA moment in scripture!

So now we’ve defined the word “BUT”.  Let’s look at “WHO” this scripture is focusing on.

WHO IS it about – The Lord, the everlasting God, the Creator, the Lord

WHO is the scripture talking to: the weary and the weak, youths that grow tired and weary, young men that stumble and fall, those that wait upon the Lord.   Doesn’t that include just about everyone?  

Have you waited for a long time, for your hoped for event or person or way of life? Our writers tell us that waiting can sometimes be exhausting.

But instead of Elizabeth becoming weak spiritually as she aged, she died to self (put her own desires aside, for good), and soared like an eagle as she became more and more trusting of the LORD. 

Elizabeth FLOURISHED as she remained in community with others.  Even when a baby was born, she died to her own disappointment and rejoiced with the others.

When other women were unkind to her about her barrenness, she prayed that God would not let a bitterness grow in her heart. But when it did she would pray for forgiveness.

I’ve learned through this chapter that

            *Dying to self is putting my own desires aside…..forever, and seeking the Lord, waiting on Him to show me His plan which may not be mine.   This is not easy to do.  Putting your own plans aside not just for today, but forever; not to return some other time and be back to wishing “it” could be so.

            *When I WAIT on the Lord, to reveal His plan to me, I am not to be jealous or angry with someone else because they are experiencing the goal or dream that I had and never got.  That is not always easy to do either.   I watched recently as someone was hurt because no one came to them for their expertise and instead went to another person.

            *To no longer stop living fully because I am “washed up” or I can’t go on because I didn’t get the lifestyle that I wanted.

We too, must continually remember in the “Afternoon of Life” years that God isn’t finished with us yet, and that we will FLOURISH  because LUKE 1:37, Nothing is impossible with God.

So then how do you pray, realizing nothing is impossible with God?  Shall we then go forward, not making up our minds instead of relying on God.

So back to our opening statements: 

Since then we trust in the LORD, we deny our own desires, and we believe that nothing is impossible with God:

I will pray believing that God will

heal my estranged relationship; or

help me move beyond my grief; or

pray for opportunities to make new friends or

realize that I am not alone and isolated; and

 put my faith back in God, knowing it is not too late for me,

because He will answer my prayers according to His plan for me –

I’ve got a life to live in the Afternoon of Life!

The LORD was faithful to SARAH and ELIZABETH, so he will therefore be faithful to me!

Thank you for joining us on this journey through our senior years, learning more about God's plan for us NOW and discovering that His plan for each of us is to FLOURISH so we can NOURISH!

Praise the Lord for His HESED: lovingkindness!   

See you next week right here - Be Blessed! sb

CHAPTER 5 - WE ARE FLOURISHING, AREN'T WE?

     Welcome to our Womens Fellowship/Study where we are learning about the plan God has for us in our later years of life.  We may be experiencing health issues or physical changes or lonliness or a slowing down or a lack of energy or interest in activities we once did.  AGING WITH GRACE, and the Word of God are teaching us that we have God's richest blessings now; that we are not washed up or just hanging in there until eternity when we will be whole again.  

                                

Every week I write a summary of each chapter, and share my own perceptions.  While I hope you will have your own book to study and Bible to read, I invite you to come to these weekly posts and will answer the questions in each chapter.  

God tells us in his Word of his HESED - his loving kindness or steadfast love - that love that is beyond any love we can imagine, including accepting us after we've sinned, over and over again. (LOVING KINDNESS, STEADFAST LOVE Exodus 34:6)

God tells us in his Word of the TIKVAH - Hope - we have when we seek Him daily and continue to praise Him for our blessings today, despite our difficult times in the past. (HOPE Ezekiel 37:11)

The Revive our Heats Women's Ministry Website is found here at this link: AGING WITH GRACE and is written by Sharon W. Betters & Susan Hunt. Here you can listen to the authors discussing their faith in regards to Aging and the concepts in their book.   

You can order this invaluable book through the Revive our Hearts website or on Amazon.   You'll not be sorry, even if you aren't much of a reader, I believe you will find such hope in their own life experiences and the scriptures that bring us closer to God in our "Afternoon of Life", a title given by another writer. That's why ten (10) of us are reading this book.  And whether we are meeting face to face or reading the book and these blog posts, we are all women of God who are seeking to Flourish and be Hopeful, by knowing the plan the LORD has for us now, in our senior years of life. 

OPENING PRAYER:

PSALM 86:11, 12 Teach me your way, O LORD; that I may live according to Your Truth! Grant me purity of heart, so that I may honor you. With my whole heart I will praise you, O Lord my God.  I will glory to your name forever; for Your love for me is very great. AMEN

CHAPTER 5 begins with a question:  

QUESTION 1: What are some words that you may have used when you were younger that defined aging?

Mine are: sick, old, sedentary, old-fashioned; and all knowing, wise, loving, content

I know that I was blessed to have TWO sets of grandparents and ONE great-grandmother in my life, while growing up.    My paternal grandmother was too old to play with us.  I recall her sitting in her rocking chair and needing help to get to the bathroom. She wore a housedress, I never saw her with pants on, and her hair was in a braided bun. It was my grandfather who was more active, who did the cooking, played with us kids, though my family was the youngest of the grandkids.    

Here is what the scriptures say about being old:

PSALM 92:12-14  Our Focus Scripture

The righteous (Who?) will flourish (do what?) like a palm tree,
    they will grow like a cedar of Lebanon;
13 planted in the house of the Lord,
    they will flourish in the courts of our God.
14 They will still bear fruit in old age,
    they will stay fresh and green,

15 

 I never once thought about being an old woman, like my paternal grandmother.  But I did wonder if I would be an "all knowing" older woman like my mother's mother, my gram. Would I teach my children or grandchildren to knit or crochet like she taught us? (Yes I have) Would I take care of my family, be involved in a Bible study group and church every Sunday like Gram was? (Yes I do) Even though she was old at 87 when she passed away, I never looked to her like she was anything but good.  I never saw any errors, or illness, or unloving ways about her.  

I also wondered about the old age of my maternal great-grandmother.   She was old, but unbelievably strong.  I don't remember much about interacting with her when I was young.  My gramma and grampa lived with her in her later years, so she was always around when we visited with them. As a child, I didn't know that her husband (my grandpa's father) was killed in a mine accident when she was expecting their last of five children.  To my recollection, his death and her raising the children alone and working hard for them was never discussed with us since we were kids. (At the time I am writing this, it is exactly 1 week short of 100 years since Great- Grandfather died in the mining accident, Nov 2, 1926)

But neither of my grandmothers were a member of the DOLC.

DOLC is Domineering Old Ladies Club ".....it is a group of older women who like to think of themselves as the matriachs of the Church....However, they lack any real submissiveness towards those in leadership. If you notice, they get their way and will do what it takes to bring it about.....Men tend to fear this group.......The DOLC......make sure that the younger women are not involved in any aspect of the women's ministries, or other ministries for that matter, when it might challenge the DOLCs control and power." Timothy J. Hammons, 2015. 

Now, one way we live out God's truth in our lives is to live in community with others.  AGING WITH GRACE chapters have stated this many times, that we cannot flourish by ourselves.  We do not rejoice in our blessings and praise the Lord for his lovingkindness and hope by becoming stagnant and spend time alone.   But we DO flourish and have hope when we live in community with others who are also "nestled in God's heart, that is our local church." (page 102)

The Church is: (note that the Church is not referring to your specific church.)

+People of God in all times and places that are redeemed, justified, adopted, and sanctified in Him

+All those living in His presence

+A Covenant (promise) community to make Jesus known

+People who have been entrusted with the living word of the living God

+ BUT SOMETIMES the church is hard to love            (Page 103)

QUESTION 2 Do you love your church because it is the Body of Christ?

As we age, we serve in different ways.  That's only logical, isn't it?  So if we taught Sunday School or worked in the Nursery when we were a young mother, will we be critical of the changes that are made after us?  Or will we make the choice to pray for the new ministry partners AND recognize that less energy actually frees us.   Will we rest in the assurance that we may not see the fruit of our prayers but that GOD will answer them in His time and in His way?

LORD, help me to recognize these changes in my own life, and deliver me from being critical.   Guard  my heart, mind and tongue from becoming a Domineering Old Lady!

QUESTION 3 Do you feel that you have earned the right to say whatever you want because of your age? 

When we nurse our disappointments and make other feel guilty for not calling us or our family from not visiting us; or when we brood over unmet expectations; when we hold grudges for decades, our roots become life-takers instead of life-givers.   

Becoming a life-giver is a process of dying to self, so we are not focused on just us, but Jesus, and His life flows from us to bless others. Living this way does not get easier as we age. 

Today's Hebrew word is PARACH - it means to bud, sprout or blossom.   This is FLOURISH.  The word for FRUITFUL is PARCH which is to increase or bear fruit. 

"Even when our bodies grow old, God causes our new desires to flourish as they are fertilized by His Word and Spirit, and we die to self-centered desires, dreams, and demands." (Page 99.)

A few years ago, say when I was about 68 y.o, I would comment to my cousin that I was surprised that I didn't care about some things I had always cared about.  He would always reply, "Aging."  Over and Over again, he would reply, "Aging."  At one point I asked him not to say that anymore to me.   He is 17 years older than me, so I figured his response was because he was aging, not me.   

Now let's fast forward to this current year when I am 72 y.o. I have realized the changes in my activities and interest.  I started with recalling my cousin's comment, "aging," and at first, I didn't want to accept that was why.  But slowly, I have come around to believing that I am "aging,"   And I must tell you that it wasn't until I read this book AGING WITH GRACE, that I began to realize that "aging" is NOT  anything to fear or to be disppointed about.   My aging is not an immediate transfer to sitting in a rocking chair like my grandmother. My aging isn't an ending to all abilities.  Aging is really a gift, is it not?   And now, to learn that the Lord our God has had a plan for me, for us, in our aged stage of life, is one new joy I have to Praise Him for and to celebrate!

GROWING IN GRACE PRINCIPAL (Page 101)

"Even when our bodies become bent with age, the spirit of the Christian who dies to self and follows Christ grows upright. Like the date palm, she becomes sweeter in old age. And like the full-grown cedar of Lebanon, her presence provides a canopy of gospel refreshment for others."

PSALM 92:12-14  Our Focus Scripture

The righteous (Who?) will flourish (do what?) like a palm tree,
    they will grow like a cedar of Lebanon;
13 planted in the house of the Lord,
    they will flourish in the courts of our God.
14 They will still bear fruit in old age,
    they will stay fresh and green,

Click this link Sweeter as the Day Goes By  to listen or sing along with this song.  This came to mind when I read this Growing in Grace Principal. 

Now as you have time, read the whole chapter - there's so much more to read and ponder.  And let's remember this is not the time of our life to be angry, to think we can be domineering or complaining because we've earned it.  I've had to work through that anger and frustration with my grown family, in their lack of interaction, but now I can celebrate me and the Lord I serve.  Join me in celebrating, won't you?

Let's praise the Lord for his HESED, TIKVAH and PARACH, PARCH - Lovingkindness, Hope, so that we can FLOURISH and be FRUITFUL in the house of the Lord, in Community with other believers. 

Thanks for joining us.   Leave a comment here or email me at sboback54@gmail.com

Be Blessed! sb