Yesterday I woke early, remembering immediately that I would be setting off on a journey today for a hospital trip to the United Kingdom. It will be my first time travelling alone for several years. I’ll be using a wheeled walking frame, so my packing has had to be pared down to the absolute minimum.
Despite feeling slightly anxious, I managed to pray for a while before today’s blog began to emerge. It puts into words the losses I experience as I get older, steadily becoming more limited by my health, energy and mobility issues.
The Lord gives and the Lord takes away.
Blessed be the name of the Lord.
(Job 1:21; CSB).
Lord,
1. Help me to give up gracefully
The things I used to do,
To offer thanks, and let them go,
Returning them to you.
2. One by one you take my joys,
The things I used to do,
Like walking, cycling, seeing friends –
I yield them all to you.
3. My energy, my health, my strength,
The things I used to do,
They fade and die, but faith remains,
Surrendering to you.
4. Day by day you take away
The things I used to do,
So we draw ever closer,
While I’m coming back to you.
The dust returns to the ground it came from,
and the spirit returns to God who gave it.
(Ecclesiastes 12:7; NIV).
References
Verse 1:
*Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus (1 Thessalonians 5:18; NIV).
*Jesus said to them, “Give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s” (Mark 12:17; NIV).
Verse 2:
*Even though the fig trees have no blossoms, and there are no grapes on the vines; even though the olive crop fails, and the fields lie empty and barren; even though the flocks die in the fields, and the cattle barns are empty, yet I will rejoice in the LORD! I will be joyful in the God of my salvation! (Habakkuk 3:17; NLT).
Verse 3:
*I tell you the truth, when you were young, you were able to do as you liked; you dressed yourself and went wherever you wanted to go. But when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and others will dress you and take you where you don’t want to go (John 21:18; NLT).
*Maryam said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of THE LORD JEHOVAH; let it be done to me according to your word” (Luke 1:38; ABPE).
Verse 4:
*May your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven (Matthew 6:10; NLT).
*I want your will to be done, not mine (Luke 22:42; NLT).
*Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things (1 Corinthians 13:7; ESV).
*The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by human hands. And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything. Rather, he himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else (Acts 17:24-5; NIV).