On Becoming Seventy! A Few Reflections (Part 7 of 7) Y=YOUTHFULNESS!

Groundhogs’ Day. February 2nd. That’s my birthday! Now, I think that Groundhogs’ Day ought to be declared a national holiday. This furry creature comes out of its comfortable underground home to prognosticate about the next six weeks of weather — Surely that deserves to be honored as a national holiday!

But it’s also my birthday. My 70th birthday. TODAY! And we’ve been thinking about a couple of issues when it arrives.

We’re using the acronym SEVENTY as our guide. We’ve thought about the letter “S” (survival), the letter “E” (for engagement), the letter “V” (for victory), the letter “E” for (evangelism), the letter “N” (for newness), and the letter “T” (for trusting). Let’s conclude with the letter “Y” for YOUTHFULNESS!

That might be the last word you would come up with in considering my ancient birthday of SEVENTY! But the Bible has something to say about AGE. We read in Psalm 103:

¹ Praise the Lord, my soul;
    all my inmost being, praise his holy name.
² Praise the Lord, my soul,
    and forget not all his benefits—
³ who forgives all your sins
    and heals all your diseases,
⁴ who redeems your life from the pit
    and crowns you with love and compassion,
⁵ who satisfies your desires with good things
    so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

That’s what I need — renewed, eagle’s youth! How does one get renewed, eagle’s youth? The Psalmist tells us:
1. It’s first of all by living a life of PRAISE! This practice of praise begins with self-talk! Have you told your soul lately to “praise the Lord” (v. 1)? Have you told your soul the same thing a second time (v. 2)?
2. Secondly, it’s reminding ourselves to REMEMBER! Don’t forget all His benefits (v. 2). Take the time today to list at least ten benefits you’ve received from knowing Christ Jesus as your Savior!
3.Thirdly, it’s reflecting on how you’ve been REDEEMED FROM THE PIT (v. 4).  It’s hard not to think of Joseph being tossed into a pit by his jealous brothers, isn’t it? Some pits are of our own construction; others are shoved under us by outside forces. But He, the Lord, majors in pit-rescues!
4.Fourthly, he CROWNS us with love and compassion (v. 4). Wow! Do you sense His love and compassion in your daily life? If not, get into the Word!
5. Lastly, He SATISFIES your desires with good things (v. 5)! When the Rolling Stones sang, “I can’t get no satisfaction!” in 1965, they probably didn’t realize that their double negative was really saying, “I can get satisfaction”!  We can get our deepest satisfaction from God alone. And He recalibrates our desires so we want the good things He provides!

Thanks for reading these posts from a man who, by God’s grace, has reached his “threescore and ten”!

Pray with me? “Lord of My Years, please guide me and use me in the time remaining to me. I want renewed eagle’s youth, Father. Please give that to me! In Jesus’ name. Amen.”