Perspectives on Age #1

Joshua 13:1 says, "When Joshua was old and well advanced in years, the Lord said to him, "You are very old..."

Everybody wants to miraculously hear from God. Christians often seek with passion the experience of hearing from God. Often we wrongly seek his voice for the thrill of hearing him, rather than his voice to know his person and purpose. But, imagine that you are faithfully following the Lord and doing his will. You have been praying and seeking God and his word to you is, "You are very old..." God had more to say to Joshua, but those first few words that introduce the rest of the message would have stopped me in my tracks.

Why don't Christian's have testimonies more often that seem like reality checks? Is it that we only hear what we want to hear? I often think people imagine some things that they think are thoughts from God. Can we be honest and open enough in hearing from God that he can even tell us the bad news?

Finally, this little interchange between God and Joshua teaches me a lesson. I am God's little child always. However, God is practical enough to walk a man with child-like faith through the process of getting old. He helps us mature in many ways while protecting a Father to child relationship. I don't ever want to grow out of God, like kids grow out of clothes, I want to grow up in God.