Not much has been written about the beauty found in growing older. I’m writing to encourage you that growing older can be growing more golden!
“But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me,
I shall come forth as gold.”
The Lord gave me this thought this morning: Growing older is actually growing more golden if you belong to HIM.
More golden means more refined. The dross is being taken away. That’s a beautiful result of the aging process as we yield to God’s ways of refining us more and more!
“
Take away the dross from the silver, and there shall come forth a vessel for the finer.”
“And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people: and they shall say, The Lord is my God.”
Not only is God refining us as we age—He’s closer and closer to being finished molding us on His Potter’s wheel…
“Then I went down to the potter’s house, and, behold, he wrought a work on the wheels.
And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter: so he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it.”
By this season of life, we know the Hands of God well—and just how faithfully and lovingly He molds and makes us!
“He placed thee mid this dance Of plastic circumstance. This Present, thou, forsooth, wouldst fain arrest: Machinery just meant To give thy soul its bent Try thee and turn thee forth, sufficiently impressed.” — Oswald Chambers
I love how this song describes God’s goodness in being longsuffering and merciful to us…He never gives up on us!!
“Empty and Broken, I came Back to Him
A Vessel Unworthy, so scarred from Sin.
But He did not Despair... He Started over again
And I Bless the Day, He didn't Throw the Clay Away.
Over and Over, He Molds Me and Makes Me,
Into His likeness, He fashions the clay.
A vessel of Honor, I Am today,
All because Jesus Didn't Throw The Clay Away.
He is the Potter... I am the Clay
Molded in God's Image, HE wants me to Stay.
when I Stumble...
and Fall... When My Vessel Breaks,
He just Picks up those Pieces,
He does not Throw the Clay Away...
Over and Over, He Molds Me and Makes Me,
Into His Likeness, He Fashions the Clay.
A Vessel of Honor, I Am Today,
All Because Jesus Didn't Throw The Clay Away.
A Vessel of Honor, I Am Today,
It's all Because Jesus Didn't Throw The Clay Away.”
— written by Gene Reasoner
I’m so thankful God doesn’t throw the clay away!! Life on the Potter’s wheel never gets old because it’s how we get to know Him more and more.
As we understand that it’s His Hand orchestrating our circumstances, it grows our faith! We can arrive at the other side of each trial, having learned the truth that His grace was sufficient for us—and God promises His grace always will be sufficient — grace for grace!
I agree with what Elizabeth Prentiss writes in her book, Stepping Heavenward: "The longer I live the more conscious I am of human frailty, and of the constant, overwhelming need we all have of God’s grace.”
By God’s grace, growing older can mean growing golder!
“I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.”
Thanks for taking time to read this post, I appreciate you and hope you have been encouraged!
