“They will still bear fruit in old age, they will stay fresh and green.”
~ Psalm 92:14
Hi James and Ellen,
What are some special days that you celebrate? You will celebrate every year the day when you were born. You will celebrate on the day when you graduate from high school and on the day when you graduate from college. You will celebrate every year the day when you married someone. These are all happy celebration times. Another very happy celebration time is the day when Jesus was born. It seems like guys, gals and kids just cannot celebrate enough during the Christmas season and especially on Christmas Day. Why does most everyone feel like they have to exchange gifts on Christmas Day? Why does most everyone feel like they have to have a Christmas tree in their house? Why does most everyone during the Christmas holidays enjoy listening to songs about Jesus? Guys, gals and kids who know why Jesus came to planet Earth know why they want to celebrate Jesus being born. Guys, gals and kids who do not know why Jesus came to planet Earth may use Christmas Day as a day to get together with family to exchange gifts, to eat and to . . . the death of Jesus on a cross is celebrated each year. The day when Jesus’ death on a cross is celebrated is called Good Friday. The day that Jesus defeated death for you – when Jesus became alive again for you, is celebrated each year. The day when Jesus’ resurrection is celebrated is called Easter. This day is the same day that is celebrated weekly as a rest day. After six days of creating – including creating a guy and a gal, God rested on the seventh day. God using the seventh day of His creation to rest communicates to you that you are also to rest on the seventh day of every single week. When God’s Son Jesus arose from the dead on the first day of a week, the first day of a week became the designated rest day. The first day of a week – which is a Sunday, would become the day each week when Jesus-follower guys, gals and kids would be more intentional in celebrating what Jesus did for them on a cross. This is why there is no school on Sunday. This is why many businesses are closed on Sunday. This is why churches open their doors to congregants on Sunday. Each Sunday is to be used to celebrate Jesus’ life, to celebrate Jesus’ victory over death and to rest your bodies.
If you accept what Jesus did for you while He was nailed to a crude cross, you will want to celebrate what He did. You will want to thank Jesus’ Father for doing what He did for you – when He sent His only Son to die for you so that you can live today with the hope of having eternal life. What about all the guys, gals and kids who were born before Jesus was born, did these guys, gals and kids have anything to celebrate? God chose a people group – the Israelites, to be His specially chosen guys, gals and kids. God compelled His specially chosen guys, gals and kids each year to have remembrance celebrations. God compelled His specially chosen people to worship Him through sacrifices. Just as you sing songs to God today as a way to worship Him, God’s specially chosen people chanted songs to God as a way to worship Him. Hector is your grandpaa’s ministry co-worker in Guatemala. Hector and your grandpaa began a program called Programa de Educación Bíblica (PEB) to teach Biblical truths to guys who are living in Guatemala. Hector has written over one hundred songs. Hector plays the guitar. Hector has a really good singing voice. God wants you to praise His name through songs. God wants instruments to be used when praising His name. When does God want you to praise Him? God does not care when; God just wants to be praised by you. The Psalm 92 author helps you know how and when you are to praise God. This Psalm tells you that God wants you to be praising Him all day long starting when you get up in the morning to when you go to bed at night. This Psalm also tells you that those who do not know what God has done will not understand those who do know what God has done. The guys who do not know God will not exalt or praise God. These guys will not be friends to God. As you grow up, you will get to know kids – and guys and gals, who have not become friends of God. These guys and gals may have good jobs, make lots of money, be important and . . . but these guys and gals will never have the hope that you have if you know who God is and what He has done for you.
Your grandmaa and grandpaa are getting old. Your dad’s grandpa and grandma are old. Your dad’s grandma and grandpa will soon go to heaven. Your dad’s grandpa can no longer walk. He can still get around the house in a wheelchair. Even though your dad’s grandpa can no longer work, there is still something special that your dad’s grandpa does. Your grandpaa’s ma and dad pray every day for your grandmaa and grandpaa. Your grandpaa’s ma and dad have always been very happy that your grandmaa and grandpaa are missionaries. Your grandpaa’s grandma was also very happy that your grandmaa and grandpaa became missionaries. Your grandpaa’s grandma has two kids who are pastors. There is no one else in your grandpaa’s grandma’s family who has been or who is a missionary. When your grandmaa and grandpaa said good-bye to your grandpaa’s grandma for the last time, your grandpaa’s grandma had a big smile on her face. Your grandpaa’s grandma was proud of your grandma and grandpaa. When your grandpaa told his grandma that he would see her again, your grandpaa’s grandma told your grandpaa no – that he would not see her again as she would not be around in four years when your grandpaa would be back again. Your grandpaa’s grandma prayed for your grandmaa and grandpaa, gave them money and told her family to help them. Getting old is to be celebrated. God says in verse 14 about being old “They will still bear fruit in old age, they will stay fresh and green”. God gives guys, gals and kids during their planet Earth sojourn a lot of reasons to celebrate.
Psalm 92 (36)