“The God of Israel spoke, the Rock of Israel said to me…”

There’s a lot about growing old not to like.  (I think I’ve said this before.)  Hair turns gray or falls out — or both, in my case.  Joints ache.  Injuries take longer to heal.  Eyes get foggy.  Hearing goes somewhere.  And then there are those increasing “senior moments” when the ol’ memory takes flight. American author and broadcaster Lowell Thomas (1892-1981) said, “After the age of 80, everything reminds you of something else,” meaning that old people can live long enough to be outside looking in.

For believers, however, at least one thing is good about aging: you can witness a hopeful accumulation of wisdom, that combination of insight and maturity from continually growing more Christlike in thinking, choices and behavior.  A favorite hymn over the last 100+ years has been “He Leadeth Me” by James Gilmore (words, 1862) and William Bradbury (music, 1864).  Consider the difference between a 20-something and a 60-something singing this song.  For the former, it is virtually a prayer, a petition in song, for God to do as he promised: lead me over the course of life.  But for the latter, it should be a reflection and praise that God indeed has kept his word and lead each step of the way.

2 Samuel 23 begins with, “These are the last words of David”.  Since David’s life went on a little while longer than this text indicates, most scholars think his words mean the next few verses (2-7) are his final summary on the promise of the Messiah, coming as one of his descendants, who will be “like the light of morning at sunrise on a cloudless morning”, etc.  In other words, this king will bring good to all people from God, the Rock of Israel (v.3).  Then he raises a personal question: “Is not my house right with God?” (v. 5).  David knows his personal failures should have destroyed his right standing with God, but fortunately that did not sway God: “Has he not made with me an everlasting covenant, arranged and secured in every part?  Will he not bring to fruition my salvation and grant me my every desire?”

Looking back over his life, David — the greatest king Israel ever had — could look back and see that his life approximated what God had done for him: establish his house/family forever (in Christ).  But his moral failures devastated what family he had during his lifetime.  His son Solomon’s reign began with Israel at her highest glory, only to crash and burn from rampant apostasy, tribal secession and civil war.  It was only the goodness and faithfulness and diligence of the Rock of Israel that guaranteed David and his family’s salvation (those who trusted the Lord) and their place in history.  That is true for anyone.  The point is that whatever good things anyone has, s/he can simply chalk it up to the Rock of Israel.

Taking the lead from David, I want to similarly look back on my life and see what God has done.  As a baseline, I want to work from Psalm 112, a psalm I encountered as a 21-year-old Bible college student.  I poured over this passage deeply and committed it to memory.  Its statements became a list of goals I wanted to see God accomplish in my life.  Younger readers might want to use either this passage or another for similar purposes.  Spiritual goals, especially those detailed in Scripture, are good to have.  Intentionality is key in accomplishing them.  They can become mile-markers of progress in life’s journey.

Verse 1: “Blessed is the man who fears the Lord, who finds great delight in his commands.”  While I liked the sound of this, I knew my heart hadn’t found “great delight” in his commands yet.  Keep working.  Verse 2: “His children will be mighty in the land; the generation of the upright will be blessed.”  Well, I’ve got 7 kids, and #4 grandchild on the way.  And all are walking with the Lord.  Verse 3: “Wealth and riches are in his house, and his righteousness endures forever.”  OK, so I’m not rich, unless you count the kids, which, biblically speaking, they are.  And I do own a house!  Stay tuned on the money thing.  It’s not over until the fat lady sings (or pays up). Skipping to verse 7: “He will have no fear of bad news; his heart is steadfast, trusting in the Lord.”  Knowing my own weak heart, this verse jumped out at me, because I feared the future.  I made this my number one goal because it was my number one need.  I had no confidence in myself, which is an excellent place to begin.  Looking back, God has made good on so much of this psalm in my life.  Again, it is not about me or us: it is about the faithfulness of the Rock of Israel.

If you’re young, do you have biblically based goals? If you’re older, how’s the view in the mirror?