Two passages from two different readings come together this morning to ignite praise, to prime the pump of gratitude.

O God, from my youth You have taught me,
       and I still proclaim Your wondrous deeds.
So even to old age and gray hairs,
       O God, do not forsake me,
until I proclaim Your might to another generation,
       Your power to all those to come.

(Psalm 71:17-18 ESV)

Old age and gray hairs . . . yup, I’m in that group! More years behind me than remain before me. Grandsons whom I address as “young man”, affectionately referring to me as “old man.” Cheaper haircuts.

Official occupation? Retired.

Unofficial preoccupation? Proclaiming Your might to another generation.

Yesterday was a pretty significant milestone in what’s been a two+ year journey. A journey where, by God’s gracious leading, this retiree found again his place in the body of Christ. A place where there’s opportunity for these gray hairs to help shepherd another generation, proclaiming God’s power to all those to come.

Okay. But where’s the power going to come from for this old man to proclaim His power? For this gray hair not to run out of gas?

Where’s the rest going to be found when the unavoidable weariness is felt? The comfort to be drawn on when undeniable mourning strikes because I’ve again come up short of not only my own expectations but of God’s as well? The sense of worth restored when –not if — I’m battered with feelings of worthlessness and wonder if God’s about done with me? The strength again felt when inescapable weakness is evident because of my failure?

Well, Paul reminds me that it will be found in the same place I need to go when, inevitably, I sin and need a Savior.

Now to Him who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages . . . to the only wise God be glory forevermore through Jesus Christ! Amen.

(Romans 16:25, 27 ESV)

Strengthened according to the gospel. That’s what I’m chewing on this morning.

The gospel . . . it’s not just for getting into heaven.

Oh, the tragedy of thinking of the gospel as something I needed only for dealing with my past. Of thinking of grace as something needed primarily to become a Christian and not as something desperately required to be a Christian. Of thinking of the cross as something that but allowed me to enter the race and not as a daily (hourly?) needed detour to keep me in the race.

Oh, how this gray hair needs to remember that what begun by faith is sustained by faith. That what begun by responding to the Good News will only be finished by relying on the Good News. That what begun by the Spirit can only be completed by the Spirit (Gal 3:2-3).

While other things might fade because of old age, oh that I would not forget that the gospel is the power of God for salvation (Rom. 1:16). The power for salvation past, when my sin debt was paid. The power for salvation future, that time when I will be present with the Lord and sin’s presence will be no more. And the power for right now, for salvation today; when, by the Spirit, sin’s power is being weakened, the stranglehold of sin diminished, even as the propensity to sin is still covered by the blood of Christ and the finished work of the cross.

So, Lord, even in old age and gray hairs . . . may I proclaim Your might to another generation . . . strengthened according to the gospel.

That I might always drown in Your ocean of grace.

Even as I long to rise up and ascribe to You unending glory.