Does age make any difference to God?

1st of August

I will share some thoughts circling around the theme: “Age”. Am I too young to be used by God? Maybe I am too old for God to use me? How does God look upon us through the different ages? How do we look upon each other?

I will start by quoting psalm 8:2. We read: “Out of the mouth of babes and nursing infants You have ordained strength, because of Your enemies, that You may silence the enemy and the avenger. We might have read this verse many times without fully understanding the meaning of it. I really do not understand how the “praise” of babes can destroy the enemy, the devil. I know that infants are nursed for some years in certain countries, but it says babes. What I do understand is that nobody is too young nor too old in order to be a tool in the hands of God. Some parents have testified and said that their child has started screaming when they were faced with a difficult situation. One example was when they should smuggle Bibles into a country where Bibles were forbidden. The custom-officer wanted to look into the luggage and at that very moment, the baby started screaming and the officer let them pass.

I have seen small children praising God out of a pure heart and it was very anointed and strong. Some of the children were down to two years of age. I have also seen small children pray in such a sincere way that I do believe that they will get the attention of God. You might say that they do not understand anything and that is correct. Maybe that is their strength. We can look up 1.Cor.1:27. We read: “But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty.” Small children believe without any questions. Maybe their mother has said that Jesus is good and when we come to Him, He will help us. We must not forget that we are supposed to become like children. As adults we have a tendency to make the Christian walk complicated.

I recently saw a film from India portraying children as intercessors. Some of the older children received prayer requests from all over the world and they prayed for people over the telephone. Many people were healed and these children loved to pray and did it with great sincerity. They had gotten to know the One to Whom they prayed and He had helped these children out of very difficult situations.

We can go to the Bible and read about Samuel. He served God from he was a small boy. Hannah was his mother and she could not conceive a baby, but one day when she was in the temple praying, she received a promise from God and Samuel was born a year later. She gave him to the priest as soon as she had finished nursing him. We read in 1.Sam.2:18 that Samuel ministered before the Lord, even as a child, wearing a linen ephod. One night when Samuel was a small boy, the Lord came to him, but Samuel didn’t understand that it was the Lord, but the third time he answered: “Speak, Lord, for your servant hears.” The Lord trusted Samuel and knew that he would function as a prophet and that gift was already given to him. I, myself, have gotten words from children that they could not know in the natural. My own children spoke in tongues from they were four and six years old. To-day we live in a world that everything is supposed to be so rational. Children will not be harmed by experiencing God and His kingdom. They will be harmed if we scare them and force them to do things that they do not want. You cannot force a child to pray in tongues, but many children want it if they live in an environment where that is common.

We can leave the children and write about the youth. I will start with the prophet Jeremiah. The Lord said to him: “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; before you were born I sanctified you; I ordained you a prophet to the nations.” The Jeremiah answered: “Ah, Lord God! Behold I cannot speak, for I am a youth.” This was not a valid excuse for the Lord because of the fact that He would be with him and deliver him. God is not dependant on age, but has He called you? If He has, He will be with you and support you. The Lord was very concrete and touched the mouth of Jeremiah and the Lord Himself put His words in his mouth. God has not changed. He is the same to-day and forever. I was 14 the first time that I spoke in a church. It should only last for ten minutes, but I trusted the guidance of the Holy Spirit more then than some years later.

You can read with me 1.Tim.4:12. Paul writes to Timothy: “Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity.” It seems that the older generation could despise the youth even at that time. Timothy should live in such a way that there should be no valid reason for despising him. The young people will sometimes behave in a non-biblical way and then we are allowed to correct them in love. We are not allowed to look down on them for dressing a little different or liking a different music style. I am not talking about indecency or satanic music. In India I work with a mature pastor who might be considered a little old-fashion, but he will always allow the young people to lead the praise and worship and his home is always open for them. Many young people come to faith in his church and sometimes he pays a Bible-school for them. He is like a real father for them. I really think he is a good example. He does not change his own style and taste, but allows the young to bring forth theirs.

I believe that it is important for the young to have good mentors and the Body of Christ needs a lot of spiritual mothers and fathers. The youth needs lots of encouragement in order to develop in a right direction. If they are constantly criticized, they will be afraid of using the gifts and talents that God has given them, but we should guide them and correct sinful behavior. We read in Titus 2, verse 4 that the young women were encouraged by the older to love their husbands and their children. In verse 6 the young men were encouraged to be sober-minded. I believe that the young people need the older ones and we need them in order to avoid stiffening.

A young person might say:” I am too young,” but an older person might say: “I am too old.” I have heard many over 60 who say that they are too old to be in the service of God. That is a lie and I would not be able to fulfill the race that God has for me if that was the case. WE can read from Job 33:25 “His flesh shall be young like a child’s. He shall return to the days of his youth.” In psalm 103:5 we read that our youth should be renewed like the eagle’s. An eagle flies high and he is strong. A crow can be scatterbrained, but an eagle waits for the pray and he is using wisdom.

In the Bible we read about men who started their ministry old age. Moses is a good example. God has no retirement. He can use us till the day He takes us home. Sarah was trusted to become a mother in the age of ninety. That was a miracle, but nothing is impossible with God.

IN THE KINGDOM OG GOD EVERY MEMBER IS IMPORTANT INDEPENDANT OF AGE AND SEX!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Mother Else

I WILL ASK YOU TO SEND ME A NICE STORY OR TESTIMONY BEFORE THE 20. OF AUGUST. YOU CAN USE THE MAIL. I WILL NOT USE YOUR NAME UNLESS YOU REALLY WANT IT. I WANT THE WEB-SITE TO BE USED BY MORE THAN ME.

GOD BLESS YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Mother Else