Word for the day by Christian Education Forum

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 Old age that combines faith & experience

Genesis 47:1-12

  Vs 7   And Joseph brought in Jacob  his father and set him before Pharaoh
and  Jacob blessed Pharaoh.

Acts 7:9-10.."... But God was with him and brought him safely through all his troubles....."
The portion under study is a beautiful illustration of how God interferes in times  of misery and hopelessness. When there was a severe famine in Canaan Joseph took five of his brothers and 130 year old father Jacob to the King Pharaoh in Egypt seeking permission to live there. They took along with them their flocks, herds and all that they own as there was no food for them and pasture for their flocks. The King was unbelievably kind and generous that he gave them the land of Egypt and asked them to settle in the region of Goshen, the best part of the land. When Joseph presented his father Jacob to the King, the King was curious to know his age.
The King was so impressed by the care and concern Joseph showed to his brothers and aged father. Joseph in spite of all the ill treatment he got from his brothers was extremely good at heart forgiving  the persecution he suffered from his brothers. Joseph could do all this because he had an unfaltering faith in God that He will protect and guide him in times of suffering. It was God who worked through the King, Joseph strongly believed. that His age and experience strengthened his faith in God. Jacob who lived for 17 years more is a sterling example of God's immeasurable grace that he got through his loving and caring son, Joseph.
Old age is a time when most of the people lose their hope and turn to depression and despair..If they use their experience positively and reinforce their faith in God, they will certainly enjoy peace and happiness for the rest of their life. The attitude of treating old age as a great burden and liability will certainly erode the physical ability as well.
When we brood over old age  that combines faith and experience, we should be conscious of the fact that it is our responsibility to leave some indelible marks for the benefit of the future generations. There is no point in crying over lost opportunities, instead, we should be capable of transferring something valid to our children. The need for solidifying our faith in the backdrop of our long experience  should always disturb us. Keeping the mind alert through reading, writing, listening and speaking will certainly sustain us in all our enterprises.
It is there where the old age really combines faith and experience. The fruits of faith that we enjoyed and the lessons we learned from the varied experiences will certainly prompt us to leave some solid marks for those who follow us.
Let us be confident and cheerful that old age is never ever a burden but a quiet time to look back and speak loudly of the uncountable blessings God showered upon us over a long period of time.

Prayer
God, our Heavenly Father, help us to embolden our faith and learn from our experiences so that we are delivered from all despair and hopelessness.
Enable us to proclaim our faith with greater strength so as to spend the time left happily and cheerfully. Amen
Thought for the Day
Let us live glorifying God for His abundant blessings
Prof A G George, 
Bethel Mar Thoma Church, Mukkolakkal, Thiruvananthapuram 
Principal (Retd), University Institute of Technology, Tvpm
(Prof. of English (Retd), University College, Tvpm)

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