Thursday, 15 November 2012

OLD AGE AND WISDOM


READ: NUMBERS 11:10-17

“Whatsoever your hand finds to do, do it with your might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, where you go.” (Ecclesiastes 9:10). We need to serve the Lord now because the King’s business requires haste (1 Samuel 21:8). As each day passes by, we are not growing any younger. Time becomes forever shorter and human strength begins to decline. As a result, we have to adopt easier and faster ways of achieving our preset goals. For instance, to bring out water from the rock, Moses was asked to strike the rock in Exodus 17:1-6, whereas to achieve the same result, he was simply asked to speak to the rock in Numbers 20:7-12.
Moses started almost as a one-man band. He did so much alone, even though he had several people he could work with, apart from his brother Aaron. But as he grew older, he began to involve more people. In Exodus 17:8-13, there was division of labour amongst himself and three others. Joshua was fighting as Moses lifted up his rod and when he could no longer sustain his hands in the air, Aaron and Hur held them up until they all won complete victory.
Besides, Moses began to delegate more responsibilities to others. In our reading, the Lord asked him to appoint 70 elders to help him. We can learn from this. As you grow older, you will need to be more intimate with God because we all need sharper spiritual vision as our physical eyes grow dimmer. Colossians 3:1-2 says we should focus on the things above and less on earthly things. As you grow older, you will begin to see more of the unseen than the seen.
You can lengthen or shorten your days on earth by the things you do. To extend your days, note the following: do not cheat others, love God with a deeper level of love, obey his voice (Deuteronomy 30:20b); cleave to him like a leech, walk in his ways; keep his commandments (1 Kings 3:14) and do not forget his laws. According to Psalm 21:4, you can ask for an extension of your time on earth for the purpose of serving him a little longer. Lastly, ask God for wisdom to fear, love, obey and cleave to him until you take your last breath. 

MEMORIZE: ECCLESIASTES 9:10 –Whatsoever your hand finds to do, do it with your might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, where you go.