Don’t believe it when someone tells you that you are too old for God to use you.
Even more, don’t believe it when you tell yourself that. Our availability is more important than our ability.
If God calls you to a task, He will equip you for it. I pray each morning, “God use me today in your Kingdom.” He does. Sometimes it is just an encouraging word or a phone call. Other times, it seems it might stretch my ability.
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I recently went on a medical mission trip to the Dominican Republic with others from my church, Sardis Baptist Church in Boaz. Before signing up, I asked our leader, Dr. Evan Johnson, “Would there be anything for me to do on the trip? I’m not a nurse or pharmacist.” “Oh yes,” he replied and began listing the many options. “I don’t want to go and be a hindrance or dead weight.” He assured me I was fit to make the trip and that I would be used.
Not many days afterward, he called to tell me he already had a job for me. He wanted me to spend one day visiting Lily House, a ministry located near the SCORE International facility where we would be staying. Lily House is a refuge for former prostitutes and for girls who would be put out of orphanages and government facilities at age 16. The only way these girls could earn a living would be in prostitution if it weren’t for Lily House rescuing them and teaching them a trade.
When Dr. Johnson started taking volunteers for other assignments, I raised my hand when he named evangelism. I feel I could just die and go on to heaven today after the way God used me and our team.
We saw over 600 patients that week, and each one came through our evangelism station. Over 50 prayed to accept Christ; it was my privilege to lead more than 30 of those. I don’t say that pridefully because it was the Holy Spirit working through me. That just might have been to show others there is no age limit for being used by God.
The people listened intently as I presented the gospel to them, one-on-one most of the time. They were very honest. If I asked if they had the peace of Jesus in their hearts, if they did, the smile and countenance on their faces answered the question before they could word it. They would pat their heart and say, “I’m a Christian.”
‘God’s not through with me yet’
Some would pray with me to accept, but some would answer later. I even presented the gospel to two men who said they had the duty of leading their families in witchcraft before they could become Christian. I told them that witchcraft is of the devil. I don’t think they cast a spell on me. If they did, my armor — the Holy Spirit — blocked it.
At 82 years old, God’s not through with me yet. I pray He will keep on using me as long as He gives me breath. Nothing satisfies a Christian like sharing the peace, joy and love of Jesus.
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