How can you tell when you’re getting older

How can you tell when you’re getting older

There is no fear in love [dread does not exist], but full-grown (complete, perfect) love [a]turns fear out of doors and expels every trace of terror! For fear [b]brings with it the thought of punishment, and [so] he who is afraid has not reached the full maturity of love [is not yet grown into love’s complete perfection].   1 John 4:18 (AMP)

By Bobby R. Henry, Sr.

Last night while I was lying in bed, I noticed that I had several new muscle aches and soreness I chalked that up to cutting the grass and working in my garden. This morning, however, when I woke up and was getting out of bed, I experienced a whole new amount of aches and pains.

Several days ago I notice that my mind was playing tricks on me.  I found it kinda amusing that I was now acting like my daddy; I couldn’t remember small things and I even forgot what I went into the kitchen for.

Now, I have heard several people joke about them having to write things down so they would not forget, and that was in their short term memory let alone their long-term memory.

Aside from all of the physical pains and other  bodily inabilities coupled with the lack of a sharp mind to include uncontrobable urgencies, there’s another significant point that lets you know that you’re growing older, the need for a closer relationship with God.

This need for a nearer connection to God is one that is of necessity and one that is more often than not created out of fear.

If we would be perfectly honest, we would readily admit that it is the fear of God’s awesome power that causes us to fear Him and that draws us closer to Him.

Now let us think back to our youth  when we were unafraid of anything except our parents and a lot of us were bold and unabashed enough to disregard them.

I know for me I would rather be held accountable for my actions at school or in the neighborhood and not at my home. I knew that I would rather run through a den of starving lions with a ham under each arm and pork chops strapped to my butt than to be confronted face to face with my daddy about some misbehavior I was involved in.

If we work to grow older without fear where would that lead us?

Without fear we would go through life as if we were Superman, the Hulk and the mighty Avengers all rolled into one.

There is a distinct  difference about the fear of God and the fear of man and earthly things.  The fear of God is made out of the love for Him and with that love you don’t have to worry about being hurt. “He was bruised for our iniquity and by His stripes we were healed.”

To begin to understand this type of fear, the fear of aging, takes going through some things. It takes some bumps and a lot of bruises, it takes a lot of introspection and foresight to where you want to be once this life is all over. Yes, this life here on earth will come to an end.

I know as a youth we felt that we were invincible and that there was nothing we could not do, nothing we perhaps would not do and be and still nothing, for some of us, we wouldn’t do.

And yes, thank God for fear of His awe-inspiring immeasurable powers!

“Dear heavenly Father in the name of Jesus I thank you for the strength and for the ability to overcome the fear to get to know You.  I thank you for Your magnificent power that draws us to love You and not to fear for fear’s sake. I thank You for everyday that You bring to us and with each new day our fear is kindled with Your love and tender mercies-Amen. Bobby R. Henry, Sr.

     The [reverent] fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; the ordinances of the Lord are true and righteous altogether. Psalm 19:9 (AMP)