Devotional Thoughts Based on the Glory to God Hymnal

Proverbs 16:31

Gray hair is a crown of glory; it is gained in a righteous life.

It has been awhile since I had a visit with Charles, my best friend from high school. One of the last visits found him remarking about my brown hair, when his had already turned silver. I did not confess to him that I had been using Just for Men for some time to conceal the gray hair in my beard. You now know what my beard looks like when I don’t use Just for Men. I had not expected it to be so white, but alas the color of my beard is totally natural now. My hair is still dark compared to my beard, but I suspect the hair on the top of my head will be gray or white soon.

I don’t feel very righteous, although we read, (Gray hair … is gained in a righteous life) I do believe I have done some good things, but I have sinned, I have made mistakes, and I have my failures, all of which remind me of how far short from the glory of God I have fallen.

Of the good deeds we have done, we read, “No valued deed will ever be undone. [God’s] mind enfolds all finite acts and offering, held in [God’s] heart, our deathless life is won.”

This hymn is set to the familiar tune: Finlandia by Jean Sibelius. The text was written by Mary Louise Bridges in 2000. This contemporary hymn speaks of the process of aging and we are reminded that gray hair is perhaps the least of our concerns as we grow older. A popular saying these days is “Getting old is not for sissies.” Indeed, it is not! We are not as agile, quick witted, and strong as we once were. Growing older gracefully may be accepting that God loves us despite our aging and God gives us the courage and the strength to keep on going, until our days are done.

Prayer

O God, growing older presents us with challenges. We hear snap, crackle, and pop as we get up from bed rather than after we pour milk on our cereal. When we fret about not being able to do things as we once did, remind us that Your love for us is constant and our lives have purpose until our days are done. In Christ’s name, we pray. Amen.