The Upper Room Daily Devotional from Nashville, Tennessee, United States "STILL SERVING" for Tuesday, 31 May 2016 with Scripture Isaiah 46:3-4

The Upper Room Daily Devotional from Nashville, Tennessee, United States "STILL SERVING" for Tuesday, 31 May 2016 with Scripture Isaiah 46:3 “Listen to me, house of Ya‘akov,
all who remain of the house of Isra’el:
I have borne you from birth,
carried you since the womb.
4 Till your old age I will be the same —
I will carry you until your hair is white.
I have made you, and I will bear you;
yes, I will carry and save you.
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[The righteous] will bear fruit even when old and gray; they will remain lush and fresh in order to proclaim: “The LORD is righteous. He’s my rock.”[Psalm 92:14-15 (CEB)]
I met Ava in an assisted-living facility. She embodied the vision of the psalmist who wrote that even in our old age, God will lead us to love. Ava had spent her working life as a seamstress. Even in her nineties, she could turn gifts of fabric into beautifully crafted blouses and skirts or trousers and shirts for children experiencing homelessness.
When Ava’s hands got too stiff and her eyes too dim, she became discouraged. Then one day she noticed that the small packets of crackers beside each place in the dining room often went uneaten. When she began to collect the packets, her friends noticed and began saving them for her. After she filled a bag, she would call a church member to take it to the community food pantry.
One day a resident asked Ava with exasperation: “Why do you care? You’re old now. It’s time to look out for yourself!” Ava just smiled and kept on collecting crackers and passing them on. Hers was a practical, hands-on faith.
Ava is gone now, but she remains an example of faithful living. I won’t forget the lesson I learned from her — to look at what’s right in front of me and find a way to help someone in need.
The Author: Carol J. Allen (Illinois, USA)
Thought for the Day: Even in our old age, God will lead us to serve others.
Prayer: Dear God, help us see your world and your people with eyes wide open. Grant us courage to offer what we can when we see a need. Amen.
Prayer focus: RESIDENTS OF RETIREMENT COMMUNITIES

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