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Listen while you read: "There Were Ninety And Nine"1 (Lyrics) |
Job 12:12 – Wisdom belongs to the aged, and understanding to the old. (NLT)
Job 32:7 – Those who are older should speak, for wisdom comes with age. (NLT)
Proverbs 20:29b – The gray hair of experience is the splendor of the old. (NLT)
There are a few things that I cherish in this life, and hopefully, you'd be surprised by the list. Very few possessions are on that list, and the few that make it have little or no monetary value. Take those old battered cassettes, for example. For the younger folk, I should explain that cassettes were an early recording method that has gone the way of the reel-to-reel tape and the eight-track. I was so concerned that I would lose the ability to play them that I had them transcribed into digital form and put on my computer.
So, what is so important that I went to all this trouble? The cassettes held eight hours of conversation with my grandfather, who died in 1984 at the age of 89. The conversations ranged from life experiences to words of wisdom. They share his life, from a young man trying to make his way in this world, to an older — and wiser — elder, who spoke and had many listen to the wisdom and knowledge that he shared.
Grampy seems to be getting wiser the older I get, especially as I replay parts of his life that correspond to mine. Sometimes, it seems that he is talking with me, instead of just being a voice from decades past.
The Bible has that same effect on me. Words that I have known all my life suddenly speak as if directly and only to me. I often hear them as if for the very first time, and yes, they guide and direct me in ways that I could not have imagined a decade or two ago.
I hope that you have such voices that call you to faithful living. I pray that mentors and members of your family long gone are still sharing words of wisdom with you. Take a moment today to listen anew to those who have gone before us.
Hebrews 12:1 – Such a large crowd of witnesses is all around us! So we must get rid of everything that slows us down, especially the sin that just won't let go. And we must be determined to run the race that is ahead of us. (CEV)
Prayer: "All Gracious God, You have given me all I am and have, and now I give it back to You to stand under Your will alone. In a special way I give You these later years of my life. I am one of those called by You into old age, a call not given to all, not given to Jesus, not given to most in our world today. I humbly ask You, grace me deeply in each aspect of that struggle." Amen. (Moya Hanlen)
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Thank you.
Amen, Ken! Amen.
Wise words, Kenn. Thanks for sharing.
Beautiful Kenn!
Blessings.
A beautiful remembrance of your grandfather, Kenn. Thanks for passing on your wisdom!
Well-said, Ken. Inspired by the Holy Spirit working through you. I am 80 plus, and I do value all these later years God has seen fit to give me. Thanks for the reminder.
Good morning Kenn, such a wonderful relationship with your “Grampy”. Thanks for sharing the memory with us. The prayer certainly applies to all seniors. Thank you for it also. Blessings.
Hi Kenn. Your message today was very thought-provoking, and your prayer was right on. I am 83 and give thanks for a blessed life. Thank you for your words of wisdom today. May God blessings be with you.
Thanks Kenn for another of your very deeply meaningful devotionals. It brought to mind of so many memorable expressions my Dad had, and I find myself still using at times. So wonderful that the Lord provides us with the ability to reflect on memories and also to understand and follow God’s word in our daily life. Blessings for these writings you prepare for devotionals.
Good morning Kenn,
I don’t have a recording, but I have some thoughts that my mom wrote out that we found while packing up the house to sell. I typed them up along with photography some letters that my dad wrote to our mom when he was away because of the war and presented them to my siblings. They are very special like “grampy’s cassettes”.
Definitely wisdom does grow with age and be willing to learn from others also grows with age.
A wonderful message and a great prayer. May you always be able to listen to your grampy’s voice which is a special treasure that many of us do not have. Blessings.
Thanks Kenn. The voice of my father was familiar enough I can reproduce it in my head. To hear my grandfather preach, well, I had that digitized. My great-grandfather was reportedly a very captivating speaker working acoustically and was never recorded to my knowledge. The voice is a gift, elocution a learned skill, those guys had it and made their living at it, all in the service for God in the need of their times.
Mine is a singing voice, and the need for these times seems to have been recordings during the pandemic in virtual services. Some Sundays I could be heard in three different churches of different denominations.
Thanks for your writing voice, one day I will hear you preach.
(ON)
Kenn,
My wife and I have been chatting over coffee, the seemingly endless list of things to worry about these days, but also about how we are to live these days of our lives. I just turned 80. My wife is a little younger.
Your devotional fits our discussion so well. I don’t have “grampy tapes” but do feast on the wisdom of authors like Henri Nouwen and Eugene Peterson. And isn’t it wonderful how a long familiar passage or phrase of scripture will on a particular day be flashing like a neon light.
I love the closing prayer.
Thank you!
Blessings.
Thank you for this, Kenn. I bought a little cassette recorder to capture my Dad’s stories, which meant so much to me. Unfortunately, he suddenly passed away, almost immediately afterward, and so it sat unused on his desk. I had missed my chance but have taken the time to write down as many of his stories as I can remember. My mother also wrote down various life stories, which I treasure, and I’m doing the same for my family. I encourage everyone to either record or write down their memories, while they can. They are truly treasures!
Enjoy the special chance that you have to listen to your grandfather’s voice. You have been blessed!
Thank you Kenn,
I so enjoy your devotionals – keep up the good work.
It must be wonderful to have these conversations with your Grandfather. Such an inspired idea to capture his wisdom on tape for yourself and family. The voice can provide so much more than just plain words – a real blessing.