Ready:
“Don’t discard me in my old age. As my strength fails, do not abandon me.” —Psalm 71:9
Set:
An athlete of mine recently graduated high school. She spent her whole life in dance and cheerleading. From the time she was a young girl up to graduation, she has participated in sports. At church, she recently told me how misplaced she felt. She wasn’t a highschooler anymore but not yet a college student. And for most of her life, her schedule was dictated by cheer and dance practices, competitions and games. Now she’d move on to working and going to class full time.
Some athletes go on to compete at advanced levels, but most athletes will close the door on their sport once their high school career ends. Not many people talk about the emotional grief of “aging out” of sports and losing that deeply ingrained identity we’ve built for ourselves through it, but even the author of this psalm could relate to the fear of becoming irrelevant in his old age.
The good news is that we will never age out of God’s faithfulness or His love for us. Our sport will leave us, along with our stamina, endurance and our physical capabilities but God never will. Deuteronomy 7:9 tells us that God is a faithful God who keeps His gracious covenant loyalty for a thousand generations with those who love Him and keep His commands. Think of how long and vast a thousand generations is. And yet He is loyal to each one. And every single day of the lives of those generations, He provides fresh and new mercies every morning (Lamentations 3:22-23).
The last part of Psalm 71:9 speaks of man’s strength failing. He said, “as my strength fails,” not “if it fails;” the psalmist knew man’s strength diminishes with old age, but God’s strength doesn’t. As aging athletes, it is understood that our bodies will naturally decline. But we don’t have to fear that when God is our refuge (Psalm 71:7). He won’t pass over us for a younger, more viable athlete. He takes us in His arms as the Good Shepherd would an aged sheep and He intently cares for our needs.
Go:
When your physical health, mental capacity or endurance begins to falter, do your prayers shift toward anxiety or toward a deeper trust in God’s character?
How does God’s promise to never leave you give you peace about your present and future?
Workout:
Overtime:
“Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You are the Ancient of Days. You are the God of the generations and I praise You for Your faithfulness and mercy for each day we live. Thank You for being the Good Shepherd in how You care for us throughout the ages. I pray for understanding, wisdom and comfort in the transitions of the seasons of my life. My purpose throughout the ages is to love, glorify and enjoy You forever. Help me to remember that when the seasons change in my life. Amen."