Feeling a Little Old

Ever feel a little old? Listening to the news the past few weeks has made me feel ancient. First there was Jordan Spieth, the 16 year-old junior amateur golfer who was playing in the Byron Nelson Golf Tournament at the TPC course in Las Colinas. He was actually in the hunt to win the tournament on Sunday, but, even though he did not win it, he still finished tied for 16th place. Had he been a pro, he would have won almost $100,000. The newscaster rubbed salt in my “feeling old” wounds when he reported Spieth would not be playing in the Colonial Golf Tournament in Ft. Worth the next week because he had to take his final exams at Jesuit High School in Dallas – ouch.

Then there was Jordan Romero, the 13 year-old who recently climbed Mt. Everest. He is the youngest climber ever to reach the summit. And there was Henry Dewey, the 8 year-old first grader who just released his first iPhone app. It is an e-book version of the children’s classic, The Three Little Pigs. His dad, an iPhone application designer, helped him through the process, but Henry did most of the work. By the way, Henry decided to donate $.25 of every $1.99 purchase to a non-profit program for the homeless.

I am reminded of God’s call to the prophet Jeremiah. God tells Jeremiah that he had been created to be a prophet even before he was formed in his mother’s womb and that God wants him to go to all to whom God sends him and speak whatever God commands him. Jeremiah says, “Ah, Lord God! Truly I do not know how to speak, for I am only a boy.” God responds, "don’t say ‘I’m only a boy’ because I am with you." I think the Lord is saying age has nothing to do with it. It has to do with the Lord’s calling and the Lord’s strength. Even though these young people’s youth makes me wonder about my own abilities to accomplish amazing things, I know God is not finished with me yet. Remember the Old Testament story of Abraham and Sarah. When God told them they were to have a child in their old age, Sarah laughed. When she bore Isaac (whos e name, by the way, means “Laughter”), she realized God can still accomplish great things through us.

No matter how old you are, I can guarantee you God is not finished with you. I hope you are asking everyday, Lord, what are you calling me to do today and how are you strengthening me to do it?