12 Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me.
13 Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead,
14 I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
No matter our age or stage of life, we can continue to look forward to what God has in store for us. And, we have to make sure that we are cognizant of our own usefulness. Our being here on this earth signifies that God has a purpose for us. He will give us wisdom to hear the call, find a place to serve, and to discover the resources necessary to bear fruit for His glory. And, I believe we do not age beyond our usefulness - He is at work up until the time He calls us home.
In the closing days of his life, the apostle Paul left some words of encouragement for Timothy, and he spoke of dealing with his own mortality and with God's call on his life. Here is what he wrote in 2nd Timothy 4:
6 For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand.
7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.
8 Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.
Ingeborg Sylim-Rapoport is a 102-year-old retired neonatologist and a resident of Berlin, Germany. And, she has reached a milestone in her life - not only passing the century mark, but also in her education.
Less than a week ago, in Hamburg, surrounded by friends, family, and former students, she received her official certificate, showing that she had completed her Ph.D., according to a piece from USA Today on the Religion News Service website.
Sylim-Rapoport first submitted her doctoral thesis on diphtheria in 1938, but she was not allowed to complete her oral defense under Hitler’s Nuremberg Race Laws, which disenfranchised citizens with Jewish ancestry. Officials at the University Clinic in Hamburg-Eppendorf learned of her case and formally invited her to finish her Ph.D.
The article says that she told NBC News, "I was very excited during the exam and could have done better, if I had been just a little younger." She also said, "I am happy and proud, but this is not about me,” adding, “This is in commemoration of those who did not make it this far.”
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In the closing days of his life, the apostle Paul left some words of encouragement for Timothy, and he spoke of dealing with his own mortality and with God's call on his life. Here is what he wrote in 2nd Timothy 4:
6 For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand.
7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.
8 Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.
Ingeborg Sylim-Rapoport is a 102-year-old retired neonatologist and a resident of Berlin, Germany. And, she has reached a milestone in her life - not only passing the century mark, but also in her education.
Less than a week ago, in Hamburg, surrounded by friends, family, and former students, she received her official certificate, showing that she had completed her Ph.D., according to a piece from USA Today on the Religion News Service website.
Sylim-Rapoport first submitted her doctoral thesis on diphtheria in 1938, but she was not allowed to complete her oral defense under Hitler’s Nuremberg Race Laws, which disenfranchised citizens with Jewish ancestry. Officials at the University Clinic in Hamburg-Eppendorf learned of her case and formally invited her to finish her Ph.D.
The article says that she told NBC News, "I was very excited during the exam and could have done better, if I had been just a little younger." She also said, "I am happy and proud, but this is not about me,” adding, “This is in commemoration of those who did not make it this far.”
Great story - the Nazis prevented her from completing the degree because she was Jewish. But, she was able to finish, even at an age that some might think to be limiting.
There are several points of inspiration for us here:
First, there is a theme of finishing what you have started. It's a component of a "no regrets" life - there may be something that you have attempted and never completed. Perhaps you believe that God called you to do something earlier in life - you know, that call and the empowerment to complete it may still be there. He can give us the direction and resources to complete what we have undertaken and perhaps have set aside or that circumstances have set aside.
There is also a component of finishing well. At the end of his life, Paul wrote from a perspective of knowing that he had fought the good fight and finished the race to which God had called him. There are many opportunities for us as we age, and we have to make sure that we are continuing to follow the will of God and not veer off course. And, even in what are commonly called the "retirement years," there are ways for God to use us for His glory.
Finally, we can be encouraged to keep pressing on. We can evaluate and ascertain that we are moving forward, following a course of spiritual growth. God does not call us to stand still and allow ourselves to become complacent; rather, he provides us with motivation and energy to bear fruit for His glory.
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