Never Too Young, Never Too Old — A Branch In the Vine

You are never too young…
you are never too old…
… to be the expression of the life of God
in you and through you as you.

I have a precious granddaughter. Her name is Claire. Claire has been falling in love with God for years now. When she was about 4 years old, she asked me one day,
”Babci [my Polish name for G’ma], who told you about God.”

I answered, ”My mom.”

Claire replied, “Babci, tell me about God.”

And that’s what we have done, visit after visit, we have talked about God. We have read stories and sung songs and talked about Jesus, Who He is and how He loves each of us. So simple and pure and lovely.

And Claire has even written “books,” like the one pictured below:

I would return home from my visits with Claire deeply warmed in my heart by her beautiful little person who loves God and everything about Him. I think of a favorite Scripture, in fact my current life verse:

But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. 2 Cor 11:3 NKJV

That’s it, the “simplicity of Christ” Himself — His beautiful Person, His attractive Love…that’s what young Claire has grabbed hold of and communicated to this ag-ed Babci. My adult “spiritual life” has gotten so complicated…all of life has! So I think, the “simplicity of Christ” is what I want.

So I gladly ‘hang out” with my Claire, knowing the Holy Spirit is alive and well in Claire’s little life. And I would never …

Don’t let anyone think less of you because you are young. Be an example to all believers in what you say, in the way you live, in your love, your faith, and your purity. 1 Timothy 4:12 NLT

Another lovely thing about Claire’s and my relationship is that we are June birthday girls. Claire’s birthday is June 6th and mine is the 16th. So we both love birthdays and roses (our June flower) and of course, Jesus.

The interesting thing is that Claire now knows both our ages. Sometime in the past year or two, her mother Beth had told Claire that Babci was 70 years old when she was born. So now she can do the math … reminding me mercilessly (I’m kidding) of my age compared to hers:

“Babci, I’m going to be 8; so that means you are going to be 78.”

So at the end of the last visit, Claire said,
”Babci, the next time I see you, I’m going to be 8…”
So I replied on cue,
”and Claire, the next time I see YOU, I’ll be 78!” YIKES!

And you know what, I began to realize, since Claire and I started to do this
“comparison-of-age-math” I really did begin to FEEL old…even too old. And my false belief that I was too old was keeping me bound in a “gray haze” I kept asking the Lord about.

To answer my question, the Lord sent two “much younger than me” friends into my life to say the exact same message, “Jan, you are NOT too old!”

I’m not to old to express the life of God to whomever God sends into my life. So when I finally realized that this was the Holy Spirit’s message to my heart, I embraced it as truth. The “grayness” lifted and the floodgates opened.

And the Holy Spirit’s message this morning from the Word grabbed my heart and mind:

He commissioned them to preach the news of God’s kingdom and heal the sick. He said, “Don’t load yourselves up with equipment. Keep it simple; you are the equipment. Luke 9: 1-5 MSG

Keep it SIMPLE!
I AM THE EQUIPMENT… WOW!

And another Scripture:

On the last day, the biggest day of the festival, Jesus stood again and spoke aloud.

Jesus: If any of you is thirsty, come to Me and drink.
If you believe in Me, the Hebrew Scriptures say that rivers of living water will flow from within you.

Jesus was referring to the realities of life in the Spirit made available to everyone who believes in Him. But the Spirit had not yet arrived because Jesus had not been glorified. John 7:37-39 VOICE

Rivers of LIVING WATER outflowing!
The realities of LIFE in the SPIRIT!
TO & THROUGH ALL who believe!

YOUNG or OLD and everyone in-between

Amen.

A Branch in the Vine

A Branch In the Vine