The Comfort of Old Age

“Even to your old age and gray hairs I am He, I am He who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you”—Isaiah 46:4 (TLB).

I’m blessed with good genes, thanks to my parents. Most people can’t believe I was eligible for Medicare last November. Confession: I can’t believe it either. In fact, upon receiving my Medicare card in the mail three months before my birthday, I immediately thought, “No way. This can’t be happening. I’m not THAT old!”

Inside, I still feel young. However, my body doesn’t seem to agree. In spite of the fact I’ve had 11 surgeries since I was kid growing up in southern Louisiana, most of my doctors agree I’m in good health. Then, it happened. That blue and red card appeared in the mail and my life hasn’t been the same since.

Part of the Aging Process

When I went for my Medicare wellness check-up, as ordained by the government, my doctor ordered tests deemed necessary for my aging body. First, it was a bone scan. My mother and both of my grandmothers had brittle bones.

Since my exercise regimen includes walking 20-30 miles a week and doing hand weights at home, I didn’t expect to receive the news I have osteoporosis. Although I’ve started treatment, I can no longer go barreling through life as if I were hurrying to a fire. I’d already been forced to slow down, somewhat, by a bum left knee needing replacing in the near future—surgery number 12.

Other Health Discoveries

I confessed to my doctor my concerns about stomach problems, so she sent me for an ultra-sound. Although there is nothing wrong with my stomach, the test revealed my right kidney is no longer functioning. It has shriveled up. Now, how and when did that happen?

I’ve already lost my tonsils, my appendix, and a chunk out of my right calf due to a dog attack. In addition, my right knee is now made of metal. What else am I going to lose before God calls me home?

None of us is Leaving Here Alive

Someone once said, “Do not take life too seriously. You will never get out of it alive.”

While certainly true, as a Christian, we must take God seriously. Many wait until their deathbed to confess their sins and accept Jesus as their Savior. God wants none of us to perish but to have everlasting life with Him in heaven (2 Peter 3:9).

We must live for Christ while walking this earth. He calls us to be His disciples, to lead others to an understanding of what it means to die daily to self as we carry out the Great Commission.

Comfort in the Scriptures—and a Sense of Humor

As I grow older—not old—I find comfort in God’s Holy Word. One of my favorite scriptures, other than Isaiah 46:4, is also found in Isaiah. “But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint (40:31 NIV).

Running is out of the question for me. That’s what led to my worn-out knees. We definitely need a sense of humor as we age. When my doctor revealed the outcome of my last two tests, I said, “Why is it I started falling apart as soon as I got my Medicare card? I’m sending the dang thing back.”

Humor also appears in the Bible. After all, God must have had a sense of humor to put up with the complaining Israelites, the prophet Jonah, and to make Abraham the father of many nations when he was way past his prime.

Pressing On Toward the Goal

While growing older each day, I still plan, like the Apostle Paul, to “press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”

God made me. He will carry me. Sustain me. Rescue me. He will do the same for you. Keep pressing on.