|
Listen to this devotional: |
Listen while you read: "Can A Little Child Like Me"1 (Lyrics) |
Sometimes, I feel so rotten that I just want God to call me home. After losing my friend Dorothy, I am lonely and tired of hanging in there. This isn't just me talking this way, I know. Many singles in their eighties are feeling the emptiness in their day, indeed in their lives. What is the Christian's answer to it? What does the Bible say that helps seniors especially? Well, here's what Paul said:
Galatians 2:20b – The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. (NIV 2011)
As soon as I read those words "the body", it became personal, for the body is the part of my existence that is giving me a lot of pain. Paul would have known the pain in the human body, for he had been beaten often. But what does he mean? How do we live by faith in the Son of God so constantly that we can rise above the pain and suffering to serve our Lord? I find that just reading these devotionals every morning turns my spirit to Christ, and I let Him in so that He will go through the day with me.
As we open up to Christ's Spirit every day, our day changes as we feel His presence. But if we are too busy for Him, what then? We walk through the day alone. Yes, the eighties have their challenges: less energy makes everything hard to do, food issues make it hard to share with others as one's diet is so strict, sight is deteriorating, and hearing has also lapsed. Our usual road to sharing has been deleted, or at least hindered. There has to be a better way to share our faith. What is it? Think about what Jesus wants of us now that we live by faith in the Son of God. He will guide us through today, using what skills we still have. Writing devotionals is one such gift which the Lord has given me to use, so I keep writing. What about you? What is the Lord wanting you to do? Whatever it is, He will also give you the skill and support needed to get it done faithfully. After all, we are living today by faith in Him, not just in ourselves.
As people of all ages begin to discover what it means to live by faith in the Son of God and how doing so changes our lives, the fellowship in and through our church families helps us to get there. Yes, we need to open up together, giving our lives to Christ, living by faith in the Son of God. We need to discover how life in Jesus changes all that we do. Faith in Him works miracles. The small little thing that we choose to do today can take on amazing prospects as God works through us.
Prayer: Yes, Lord, we thank You for Your Spirit Who changes our bodies to joyfully live by faith in You. Thank You for Jesus, Your Son, Who reaches out to us today. Jesus, we come to You. The life we now live in the body, we live by faith in the Son of God. Amen.
Forward this devotional Share this devotional on Facebook Like PresbyCan on Facebook
Although PresbyCan doesn't have a mobile app, you can still have a PresbyCan icon on your mobile phone home screen. 
Sunday, May 28, 2023 – Worldwide — Day of Pentecost—Pray that our churches worldwide may experience a fresh filling of the Holy Spirit, so that we may be better enabled to share our faith with our families, friends, and communities.
cancer: "May 27, 2023. Please pray fervently for my friend who has just been diagnosed with ovarian cancer..." 
Pregnant daughter so very sick!: "May 26, 2023. Please pray for my daughter AD, who is having her first baby at 36 years old. She is..." 
God bless you Iris. Keep writing.
You are not alone, Iris. Remembering you in our prayers.
Amen to that.. one day at a time “Sweet Jesus”, one day at a time.
Thank you, Iris, for your honesty and for continuing to write these devotionals that inspire our readers to trust our Lord and serve Him in whatever ways we are able to. God bless you and have a blessed Thanksgiving.
Hello Iris, Another very meaningful one for me. Thank-you. While I’m not in my eighties, adjusting to retirement is certainly presenting some challenges for me. Hope you have a blessed Thanksgiving.
Oh Iris, I can relate to this devotional so much. I will be 82 soon, and the old body aches and groans at times. Yet there are days when the “Son” shines through and things look brighter. Thank God for those days and thank you for this devotional.
Thank you Iris for sharing your experiences with us. I’m not eighty, but I can relate to the body breakdown issues. Praying the Body of Christ doesn’t also breakdown because we need to support one another so that the message of God’s love gets out to others. Blessings.
Thank you for your vision of our lives. We who are in our eighties know only too well what growing old feels like. We also know that our Faith is what keeps us going. And people like you who take time to write about it gives us the will to carry on. Thank you.
This is wonderfully encouraging. At any age we have sets of obstacles and openings, so we can develop the habit of discerning His will for our days. May your days be filled with awareness of His Presence and His pleasure in your willingness to keep on writing for the sake of people like me who are encouraged by your life’s stories. God bless.
Dear Iris:
God bless you my sister in Christ. You are never alone. God has blessed you with such a wonderful talent in your writing. I am grateful that He has done so. Stay strong in Christ.
Thank youor sharing this devotional. It helped me see what’s ahead for me and how I can prepare myself to let Christ in every day so he can go through the day with me. It helps to know what to pray for others as well. Thank you for continuing to share your gift of writing devotionals. May God continue to walk with you and bless you.
Good Morning, Iris: I knew in the first couple of lines that the message must be from you.
Your gift to me always is that you are so real in your application of the faith.
I will be passing this on!
God bless and keep you and give you joy
Thank you for the encouragement that I needed to hear. I keep asking God why I’m still here.
Earth seems too ugly to walk through to get to heaven, and yet He protects and provides; but what about the refugees, etc. I can pray for ….., but to my mind it seems too little.
You keep on writing and sharing. Your devotions always bless or challenge me – thank you.
Blessings.
Dear Iris:
I remember my dad saying something similar. I said, “Who will pray for me after your gone?”
Once he said the cost of his meds was hardly worth it at his age. I reminded him that prescriptions costing so dearly were probably worth $5.00 each, if that. He’s been gone for several years, we still speak of him often, even his great-grand children. He influenced many people.
Dear Iris,
Thank you for your thoughts. It is reassuring to know that Paul also felt the same. I think he so clearly articulated his feelings in Philippians 1:21-26. Paul would have preferred death and being with Christ but instead Paul realized that his living did contribute to God’s work in the world and even more it contributed to progress and JOY in the faith.
Keep writing your devotionals, you are doing God’s work.
Blessings.
I truly understand since I am pushing 80 and experience all of the annoyances of aging which I call mosquitoes.
He has given me the pleasure of writing as well and it keeps the mind sharp and the imagination alive.
Keep writing my friend.
Thank you Iris,
Keep the faith. Jesus sustains us no matter what age we are.
We have a lot to look forward to in the new heaven and earth, but He does keep us here for a purpose; I believe yours may be what you share with others.
Thank you for giving us your perspective.
Keep writing.
May God richly bless, sustain and comfort you.
We always appreciate your writing but as we are in our early 80’s we really appreciate today’s words.
Keep up and it is hard about food. God Bless.
(ON)
Hi Iris,
Your messages bring tears of joy and thankfulness to my eyes-so thank you for sharing your thoughts!
I too am older (62) and work at a long term care facility. I too believe tbere is a wonderful message of hope, purpose and strength when we focus on God’s ability to empower us – to do what we need to do! Each day at work I see the range of people who have different spirits, and the spirit of hope in the elderly is so very, very powerful. I see youth volunteers changed by it.
Happy thanksgiving to you.
Blessings.
Dear Iris,
Thank you for the devotional, I’m right here in the eighties with you. And how good it is that we Christians are right here together in the Body of Jesus Christ and can keep looking forward to eternity in His Body!
When you quoted: Galatians 2:20b, I thought you might go on to make a parallel using the word “body” as Paul uses it in Colossian, for instance, as the body of Jesus Christ, the church.
I especially like the line in your prayer, “Yes, Lord, we thank You for Your Spirit Who changes our bodies to joyfully live by faith in You.”
May God continue to bless you mightily.
On this Thanksgiving Sunday your devotional spoke for many many people and their aloneness.
This is usually a family weekend, and single older people with no family to be with, it can be just one more painful experience.
I visit in a seniors home and living a long way from family is often the topic they want to share.
And living in the same city as family who do not visit is also very painful.
I will share your message about being joyful in God’s presence especially today when so many are missing the family gatherings.
May Thanksgiving bring out the best in all of us as we join together with our church family to sing praises to God, and hear His message of love, faith, hope and joy.
Thank you Iris for all the devotions that you write for us to learn from – keep up the good work.
(SK.)
Dear Iris: As I began this day I opened up today’s Devotional. First I thought, “I could be writing this.” Then, no no, no, “What I mean is, Iris has composed the content as it describes how I still feel at times,” . . . as I approach 90.
With my dear wife living with Alzheimer’s she under the daily life maintenance of multiple professional health care personnel, a surprising comment was directed to me while I visiting my dear wife.
One day a nurse commented on how I continue to stop a moment with so many of the residents with a simple touch, a few words and a smile. She said it meant so much to them. I thanked her and thought that visitors of any age can do the same. With my background perhaps it is a little easier to physically touch others. My step became a little lighter since then knowing that I can imitate, if not emulate, what our precious Lord was known to do.
It was great to ‘talk’ to you again Iris and may God continue to bless you real good.
Its good to know you are in your 80’s.
We bless God for your life and ask that you continually share your journey with Christ to encourage Believers.
Thank You,
(Accra)
Very helpful devotional!
A lovely thought provoking devotional today Iris. From one octogenarian to another, we still have much to share with others. We have lived long enough to experience many spiritual trials and blessings. It behooves us to tell our story. May the Lord continue to encourage you as you put your thoughts into words.
Iris – thank you for your prayerful Presbyterian Daily. God is using your talents for this ministry. God Bless you.
Thank you so much for your encouraging devotionals, Iris, especially this one. I, too, am in my eighties, and love my church. Good, encouraging friends, etc., I thank God daily.
The body is weakening, but God is always with me and I am truly blessed.
Blessings.
Dear Iris: Keep up the good fight. You are an encouragement to me.
Thank you for your faithfulness.
(Ontario)
Very comforting Iris!! Thank you!!