Little kids help us define whether we're in this category or not! Listen to this cute story found in email, circulating the Net!
"Grandpa, did God make you?"
A little girl was sitting on her grandfather's lap as he read her a bedtime story. From time to time, she would take her eyes off the book and reach up to touch his wrinkled cheek. She was alternately stroking her own cheek, then his again.
Finally, she spoke up,
"Grandpa, did God make you?"
"Yes, sweetheart," he answered, "God made me a long time ago."
"Oh," she paused, "Grandpa, did God make me too?"
"Yes, indeed, honey," he said, "God made you just a little while ago."
Feeling their respective faces again, she observed, "God's getting better at it, isn't He?"
After you're done laughing--and looking in the mirror--let's look at what God thinks of the "wrinkled righteous" in His Word...and remember, there were no anti-aging wrinkle creams available at the Mall or their favorite Internet cosmetics store then! The wrinkles were resplendent for all to see!
And so what? For you see, wrinkles might matter to us; they DON'T matter to God!
Ask Abraham and Sarah, who in their wrinkled-up years gave birth to a beautiful son! Now you may not be a candidate for the elderly birth-of-the-year record - neither am I!! But--wait a minute--you're not too old to give birth to a brand new idea--or ministry--or mission. God uses people at whatever age to serve in His Kingdom--and He can use YOU and YOUR bright, new ideas, wrinkles and all!
Ask Moses...the man who at 80 years old, became a leader of God's people. Now you might not want to be in charge of a million cranky people--there were days HE didn't like it either! But good old Moses, if he were able to give you some advice, would encourage you to listen to God, to not be afraid to STILL be a leader--to offer your sound wisdom, experience, leadership abilities--wherever they are needed. God used Moses to serve in His Kingdom--and He can use YOU, wrinkles and all!
But THEY are "guys" - and "guys" don't care about wrinkles...women DO! Really? Ask ANNA, the elderly prophetess, who waited in the Temple to bless the promised Messiah. Wrinkles didn't matter that day as she had the wonderful privilege of holding in her arms the Son of God.
And wrinkles won't matter to you either--when you're happily doing the Will of God. Oh, sure, use the wrinkle-creams as much as you can...but don't let the aging process wear you down. Know that we serve an ageless God...and if He can use Abraham, Sarah, Moses, and Anna, He can use YOU--and ME--righteous wrinkles and all!
Now believe it--DON'T look in the magnifying mirror today--but enjoy the blessings and love of the Lord. Share it with another--be a proud, grateful member of the "wrinkled righteous" - and let's everyone over 40 meet me at the CHOCOLATE SHOP to celebrate the years God has given us--and still has ahead of us! I want chocolate-chip, how about you!
P.S. Should you be in the under-40 crowd, don't despair--your day is coming! You might want to save this devotional, along with your magnifying mirror--might be able to use it that day when YOUR first wrinkle appears!!
NOTE: This devo is dedicated to my favorite "pal" - Rev. Eddy Anderson, 86 years old, and still serving!
See My Pastor, My P.A.L.!--and be blessed by one of the "Wrinkled Righteous!"
Delight in a Word from the Well--a refreshing in the Water of His Word
