By Amelia Smith
The older I get, the more I’m amazed that Jesus died for me. Moving into my sixth decade recently, I’ve become much more reflective of what really matters in life. Of course, spending this last year in social isolation due to the pandemic has had something to do with my introspection. My burden for my loved ones to know true gospel hope found in a deep relationship with Jesus has grown deeper this last year of my fifties and turning sixty. I’ve become more thankful of little glimpses of gospel hope I see in my family’s lives; hope that God is at work in ways I cannot see. I began to ask the Lord to open my eyes to the reality of His love in their lives and to be more intentional in offering myself to them. The Lord sweetly reminded me that His love is all around me, if only I take the time to look for it.
GROWING MY GOSPEL-CENTERED HEART FOR OTHERS
What if true transformation in our hearts happens over time; in the everyday conversations we have with our children and grandchildren? What if my own spiritual growth, my being made more into the likeness of Jesus becomes more of a natural rhythm of my day? When I take the time to spend with the Lord, reading His Word, praying, pressing into His love for me, I can then pour out to others from my full cup. Looking for opportunities to share the gospel then becomes a vital part of my own sanctification journey. In 1 Peter 3:15, we read, “but in your hearts, honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect.” (ESV) When I, winsomely and righteously share my faith with others, I deepen my own faith and become more grounded as a woman of God. The opportunities are all around us. Even if we are afraid, God can help us put the words together in a way that someone else can understand the simplicity of the gospel. Allow me to share such an example from my own life.
GOSPEL HOPE FOR GRANDCHILDREN
“Granfoo, who made the sky?” my 4-year-old grandson recently asked me as we were outside listening to the sweet morning melodies of the birds in his backyard. Many years before, his mother, my daughter had asked the very same question. When my adult children were young, the Lord began to press upon my heart the opportunities I had as their mother to share the gospel with them in everyday conversations. So, I began a conversation with my grandson that morning in the same way I had with his mother years before when she was little.
SHARING THE GOSPEL ON A CHILD’S LEVEL
I told him that God made everything. He made the sky. He made the birds, giving each of them their own song. He made frogs hop. And God made him to be His child one day. Then I walked him through the gospel; telling him that the bad things we do, our sin gets in the way of becoming God’s child and we can’t fix our sin, no matter how hard we try. I told him that the Bible tells us of Jesus, the hope of glory and that there’s no one who’s right. As I sat with him, I held his little hands and told him that God put our sins on Jesus when on the cross Jesus died; that’s how big God’s love is. I told him that three days later, Jesus came back to life and because He did, we have hope. I told him that to all that believe on His name, God offers eternal life. And that was the end of the conversation. He didn’t ask about how he could become God’s child. He didn’t ask anything about Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection. But he did listen. And I did share. And my faith grew. And I knew that God had planted a seed in his little heart and God would make it grow in His time.
ENJOYING GOD IN THE NATURAL WORLD AROUND US
Before and since that day with my grandson, I’ve had many chances to share the gospel with my grandchildren while outside, enjoying the beautiful natural world God has given to us. Sometimes, we dig for worms under the rocks near my garden right after a rainstorm. We talk about how wiggly they are, and that God made them with a purpose, just as He made each of them and all that God does is good. On one occasion, we noticed a dragonfly struggling in the water of a deep puddle. We talked about how, even in hard times, God is there to help us and even when things don’t turn out like we’d hoped, God is still good and we can trust Him. When my grandchildren are afraid, I take them to Psalm 56:3, “When I am afraid, I put my trust in You.” (ESV). I may share a time I was afraid and how God helped me remember that verse. Children take us back to the wonder of the natural world. Somehow, they can understand that God made it all. The Lord gives me the energy to pour into each of my grandchildren. Time spent with them is an investment in each of their faith journeys.
GRACEFUL AGING
As I age, I enjoy being outside more. I notice more of the intricacies of nature: the first blooms of my gardenia bushes; the flutter of a butterfly on the early morning dew covered leaves of my azaleas; the quick chirp of the cardinals after I’ve filled the bird feeder as if they are thanking me for attending to their needs. When I was younger, I thought about my becoming a woman of God was having more to do with Bible study, prayer, fellowship with other believers, and sharing my faith. And those are all important disciplines of my Christian life. As I’ve aged, God is teaching me more about pressing into Him, taking the time to really enjoy my alone time with Him and not feel like I’m “checking off a box”; leaning on His promises in every situation, every crisis, every fearful and anxious moment. The beauty of aging gracefully isn’t found in the next best moisturizer for aging skin; it’s found in seeing afresh every morning the beauty of Jesus and His sufficiency for every season of my life. Whether I am pouring into the lives of my grandchildren, working in my garden, washing dishes, or talking with the grocery clerk about her day, the Lord is creating marked moments of His love spread abroad. Reminding myself daily of the gospel, counseling my heart with the truth of Scripture enables me to walk through this next season of my life with hope and purpose, knowing that “I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.” Philippians 1:6 (ESV)
