By Rev. Janet Stobie
The maple tree outside my window has been dying by inches ever since we moved here. But every year, including this one, it has put out beautiful new leaves, fragile at first, but growing more robust as the season progresses. Today, the single branch left is aglow in the sun with green lushness. Even though it’s lopsided, our tree stands proud, its wounds visible to the world. It’s diminished shade still offers protection for the birds. It gives us oxygen as it receives carbon dioxide from the environment.
This morning, I’m thinking my brave tree is much like us as we age. Human aging is a process of giving up–energy wains, often hearing and eyesight dims. Agility shrinks and often mobility itself disappears. We watch friends grow old and die around us. Too often, we feel as if our wounds, our emotions have become exposed, naked to the world.
Yet I believe God calls us to stand tall in the life we have, giving and receiving what we can. At the end of April, I published my eleventh book, “Dipping Your Toes Too. “It’s well on its way to being another Canadian best seller. At least, I’ve sold three hundred copies in these first few weeks. My readers have been waiting for it. Sandi, a woman who has used the original Dipping Your Toes, with her afternoon coffee group says, “I’ve used every service in this book and some of them twice. Yea!! You’ve finished the new one.”
Regardless of aging, I am truly blessed. The writing and publishing side of my tree can still put out new leaves, still contribute to the faith and entertainment of Christians of all ages. I may walk with a cane, but I’m alive and contributing.
Today, when I look at my maple tree, I smile. It’s beautiful, still beautiful. And it’s strong. It never lost a single limb during the ice storm last month. And so, I say to you, whatever your age, God has given you gifts, wonderful gifts for living. God is calling you every day to use them. Though you sit in your wheel chair, or wobble down the street with a cane, your first and last gift is the gift of prayer. Too often when we’re young, we think we have no time for prayer. Prayer is the last ability we lose.
Regardless of our age or health we can pray. Make yourself a list and tick them off as you talk to God:
Pray for the world. Ask God for world leaders to have compassion and love. Talk with God about peace and what you can do today. Your prayers are needed.
Pray for young families, children, young people. Growing up today seems to have more pitfalls and less security. Ask God to give them courage and surround them with love.
Pray for your church. Our churches need your prayers as they offer support to anxious people in this anxious world.
Pray for yourself. Whatever struggle is yours, pain, illness, loneliness, grief, God is their offering love and support.
Look around you, the need for prayer is endless. One of the blessings of aging is increased time for prayer.