I started this Women's Fellowship/Study group because many of my friends or acquaintances and I find we are in this "aging" stage of life, with no guidelines or expectations beyond a few years of retirement. What's next? we find ourselves wondering. This book shares the experiences of Senior Women and gives hope through Psalm 92:1, 12-14
13
14
15
-----------------------------------------------------
Now here's a summary about what we've discussed so far, but I encourage you to read the book to get a deeper understanding of the life experience and relationships that brought Susan and Sharon to share their faith with us in this book.
QUESTION #1: Do you desire to Flourish? what does that mean? Flourish is to thrive, in a healthy and vigorous way.
TODAY IS THE DAY TO FLUORISH! Remember that we are not running this race alone, so let's gather together as women in fellowship and learn to Fluorish even when we don't see how to do that! Let's no longer depend on the world to prepare us for this "Afternoon of Life" because the world cannot give us hope! (Page 17)
WHAT IF: we are supposed to discover who we really are or have been since the 1st half of our life?
It’s OK to look back at our lives.
Write your own Statement of Grace - this is a positive statement of blessings
Your statement of Grace will be different. Examples are your age; schooling or occupation; where you've lived; if you've been a caregiver for a parent or family member; what your spiritual gift is; what your retirement is like. State whatever your blessings are and remember, that this is not a competition, nor should you feel "less than" if your Statement of Grace is not like anyone else's, OK?
We will Flourish and be Fruitful as long as we live in these earthly bodies!
I hope that you are able to read this book. There is so much more to Aging With Grace, than I will get into in my weekly blog posts. I found that writing on the pages of the book was meaningful too, so write in your book, as I expect to and hope you will, return over and over again for Hope and Encouragement. This book gives a vast amount of scriptural resources, to be reading and seeking a deeper relationship and understand of the Lord our God. If you do not have the book, then I highly encourage you to go to Revive our Hearts to listen to this program based on this book OR go to the website for Aging with Grace and watch videos and other materials.
CHAPTER 1 CONTINUED:
*What's the first thing that comes to mind when you think about God? Keep in mind that our answers will vary; and will show what our relationship is with Christ
What we believe or don't believe about God is part of our daily life. As we face the sorrows of and physical sufferings of aging, Knowing "WHO" God is and "WHO" we are in Christ will comfort and carry us through these times. (pages 31-33)
Here's the point: we must ask ourselves as we experience our aging troubles, physical and mentally, who is God to us? and who am I with Christ in me? This is a search only you can reply to and you must ask and answer to move forward in this discussion.
Now each chapter has points of interest called "Growing in Grace Principle"
"God reveals himself to us in His Word (the Bible). If we are to Flourish - we declared that we want to flourish didn't we - it will be accomplished by how much time we spend in His Word, getting to know Him." Did you know that the Word is God's love letter to you? "An ever-growing knowledge of God produces a more mature God-centered perspective on our identity and purpose, which are the same in every season of life."
So you might recall that in an earlier post, we noted that this Aging with Grace: Fellowship/Study will not be a self help book with a list of ways to survive old age.
The very first verse of Psalm 92:1 "It is good to give thanks to the Lord". It is good to thanks to God, but not FOR everything, but IN everything. That's thanking God IN every situation and relationship.
And that's not always easy to do is it?
Why do we do that - give thanks to God in our hurting, in our sorrow, in our frustration, in our lonliness, in our uncertainty?
Because God is good! and His steadfast Love endures forever!
GROWING IN GRACE PRINCIPLE
The authors write that one way to learn to give thanks and have an attitude of thankfulness is to worship weekly and unite with others to thank Him for His amazing grace.
If you only remember ONE WORD from this book, (I hope there will be more than one) let it be this:
HESED = STEADFAST LOVE in Hebrew, sometimes translated as lovingkindness
Psalm 92:2 It is good to begin and end each day by declaring the Lord's steadfast love and faithfulness.
HESED appears 250 times in the Old Testament and dominantly with reference to God himself.
HESED means: God's deep goodness expressed in his covenant (promise) commitment, his absolute loyalty, his obligating of himself to bring to fruition the blessings that He has promised, whatever it may cost Him personally to do that. (Sinclair Ferguson)
What did it cost God? It cost his Son's life.
Our sin can never out-distance God's Steadfast love and faithfulness.
Let's paraphrase that. We can never do anything bad enough that will be worse than the covenant Jesus made with us with His absolute loyalty to make sure that all the blessings He has promised to give us, regardless of the fact that He gave His only Son up, just so He could personally show me His grace upon grace. Read that again to get the deep commitment that God has for you - God's HESED, His steadfast love and faithfulness.
OK, now this is explaining God's deep and lasting love for each of us sinners though we may be, but how do we continue to be faithful to Him?
The answer is this: to be faithful to seek the Lord, to stay in His word, to join in fellowship with other believers, to proclaim His love together - worship.
Just like the blade of grass, it needs everything the Lord provides to live, we must stay, remain, continue, submit and yes, endure with the Lord God.
GROWING IN GRACE PRINCIPLE
"Our bodies change as we age, so do our spirits. We MUST Guard against our hearts becoming brittle and bitter. How? by praying for Grace to Abide in Christ, and to bear fruit of HESED - Steadfast love and Faithfulness to others, even when it is costly to do so.
So then we look for gladness in people, things, circumstances. As we think of the Lord's goodness to us, we become good, and we become glad.
Will we be stiff-necked or shining old ladies?
Did you know that grey hair is considered a crown of glory? now reading that, I sat a little taller, especially when I read it. But don't be mistaken about the "color" of hair for it refers to the reflected glory of the one who lives face to face with Jesus, seeking to know Him better each day.
So the Crown of Glory, the Gospel Glow is our grey hair. (Page 37, 38)
"Often when a woman retires or when her children leave home, she feels useless because her purpose was centered on what she was doing rather than what she was becoming. The Calling to glorify God transcends place, time, circumstance and age."
GROWING IN GRACE PRINCIPLE
There are many things we can long do as we age, but age does not keep us from fulfilling our purpose to glorify and enjoy God. An ever-growing knowledge of God's undeserved love - his Grace - changes our motivation.
Its time to realize God's HESED for us and stop living for ourselves and begin to live for His glory as we Age with Grace! (page 39)
NEXT WEEK: For Next week read LUKE 2:25-38 The Story of Anna - Living Covenantally
Thanks for stopping by! Be Blessed! sb
