O God, thou hast taught me from my youth: and hitherto have I declared thy wondrous works. Now also when I am old and grayheaded, O God, forsake me not– Psalm 71:17-18

Psalm seventy-one might well be called a Psalm for the seasons of life. In verse six David said, “By thee have I been holden up from the womb: thou are he that took me out of my mother’s bowels: my praise shall be continually of thee.” He acknowledges God’s watchcare over him from his birth and through his early days. And in verse seventeen He says that God had taught him from his youth.

He no doubt was taught by his mother whom he describes as being God’s handmaid, and he was taught by the unfolding of divine providence in his life. He learned about God’s enabling grace when he killed a lion and a bear; he learned that “the battle is the Lord’s” when he gained victory over Goliath; he learned that God alone was his defense when he was hated and pursued by Saul.

And then as he looks toward the declining years, when his hair would turn gray and his strength would fail, he prays that the Lord will not forsake him. But as he anticipates the changes that come with old age, he is not absorbed with his own problems. His desire is to show the strength of God to the younger generation that is following him. In fact he says, “My tongue also shall talk of thy righteousness all the day long.”

How much better to talk of the righteousness and greatness of God than to bemoan the failures of the past or the discomforts of the present. May we all, whether young or old, join in praising our sovereign God Who cared for us even before we recognized our own needs and will not forsake us as the frailties of old age remind us that the crossing into the heavenly land is not far away.(From, “A Good Thing”)

“Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.” Isaiah 53:4

Whatever the cause of grief may be, there is rich comfort in the remembrance of the sorrows of Christ. It assures us that Christ understands our pain. In the garden he went a stone’s cast farther than any of his disciples went. The picture is a parable to us. It is always so. Wherever you bow in the deep shadows of grief, you have but to lift up your eyes, and you will see Jesus in still deeper shadows—a stone’s cast beyond you. His sorrow was sorer than yours.

There is comfort also in the remembrance that blessing comes out of suffering patiently endured. All the world’s peace and hope, and all heaven’s joy and glory—are fruits of a great sorrow—the sorrow of Christ. Blessing will come always out of sorrow, if we but accept it submissively and reverently.

While we think of the sufferings of Christ, we must remember also that he came from them all unharmed, his life shining in divine radiance, lifted to glory, too, as a fruit of his suffering. This reminds sorrowing believers, that they too shall pass through their time of tribulation, that no scars and no manner of hurt shall be upon their souls because of their sufferings—but that they shall shine in fairer beauty and diviner glory, and shall be lifted up to higher honor, because of what they have suffered with Christ. (J R Miller’s Year Book, 1895)

“She hath done what she could: she is come aforehand to anoint my body to the burying.“–Mark 14:8

Many people would have kept the jar of perfume until Jesus was dead, and would then have broken it to anoint his cold body. At least, that is the way too many of us do in these days. We wait until our friend dies—and then send our flowers and speak our words of appreciation. Should we not learn a lesson from Mary? The kind words we mean to speak when our friends are dead—let us speak while they can hear them! The flowers we mean to send for their coffin—let us send to brighten the rough paths for their feet. The epitaphs we mean to put upon white marble—let us carve in deeds of gentle love while our friends are with us. Words of cheer today—are what people crave.

“Withhold all eulogies when I am dead, All noisy sorrow;
Give me the tender word today Instead of tears tomorrow.“

J R Miller’s Year Book, 1895

“Now before the feast of the passover, when Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end.”— John 13:1

Follower of Jesus—you may write your own name into this verse, and it will be as true as it was of the company at the table that night! Having loved you—Jesus loves you unto the end!

It was the night before Jesus died. He was with His disciples at the Passover. Holy memories filled His mind. But amid these, His love for His own people lost none of its warmth. His “hour” of sorrow and shame was come. But with all this before Him, He did not forget “His own.” He gathered them about Him, and spent the last evening with them. He had no thought for Himself; He thought only of “His own.” His personal grief and bitterness were kept in His own heart, while He gave them joy. His love over-mastered His sorrow.

Then there was something else. The words read: “his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father“. So there was glory for him beyond His cross! There were a few hours of darkness, woe, and anguish—and then He would leave this world and be at home again! His heart must have been full of rapture and expectancy as He looked forward, knowing that He would shortly be home with His Father. Yet even this blessed consciousness did not make him forget His friends. “Having loved His own who were in the world—He loved them to the end.” (J R Miller’s Year Book, 1895)

“And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward.”–Matt. 10:42

We never can know what the full outcome of our simplest kindnesses will be. We speak a cheerful word to one who is discouraged. We pass on, scarcely giving another thought to the matter. Yet perhaps our word has saved a life from despair, helped a fainting robin back unto its nest again, or changed a destiny from darkness to light.

Nor can we know how far the influence of our word shall extend. A pebble dropped into the sea, starts wavelets which go around and around the world. A word spoken into the air, goes pulsating in the atmosphere forever. So it is with the things we do for Christ. We cannot follow them, to trace their story; but their blessing shall never cease from the world’s life. There will be many surprises in heaven, when we learn the effects of our words and deeds of love.( J R Miller’s “Year Book”, 1895)