Aging in the Grace of God
Lessons from the Wilderness Leader ’s Guide
With the inability to drive come many questions about our independence: Are there people we can comfortably ask for rides to church, doctor’s appointments, grocery shopping, and family events? And even more important is the question of how we deal with the need to be interdependent or possible dependent on our family and community. These are just a few of the changes that occur. The question is not whether or not we will have change (that goes without saying), but how we will adapt to change. Our study will help us to take a good look at change through the eyes of the Israelites as they made the change from slavery to freedom, from captivity to a promised land provided by the hand of God. We will find that even positive changes have their challenges and that if we are not careful, we may forget the goodness of God, bemoan what we have lost, resist the process needed for transition, and fail to express gratitude for God’s generosity. Just like the Israelites, we are on a journey to the promised land. In order to progress, we must release our hold on this world. Doing this involves change upon change. In each and every change God encourages us with his presence, giving us a foretaste of what is to come—if only we have eyes to see and ears to hear!
Discussion Starters: [Q] Describe a life change that was especially difficult for you. [Q] What are some changes you anticipate as you age? [Q] Tell a story of someone you know who has made a major change with grace and success.
[Q] Give some examples of willed and unwilled changes. Which is harder? Why?
Part 2
Discover the Eternal Principles
Teaching Point One: During periods of change God provides for our needs, but often in new and unusual ways. Clinging to the old risks the blessings of the new. Have you looked back with longing upon a job, a home, a relationship, or a church you left for a “better” opportunity? The past now has a certain glow. You have forgotten the negatives that caused the change in the first place.
48
©2009 Christianity Today International
ChristianBibleStudies.com