Expiry Date

So have you noticed that everything has an expiry date on it now.   It tells you when it becomes unusable,  or is no longer any good; at what point, it should be thrown away.  Many times I have seen Christians, once they get to a certain age, or a certain point in their ministry life, they feel like that have reached their expiry date.  

A minister we had the privilege to know, Pastor Bob Yandian always used to say he would preach in his church until he died, and that he would probably even be in the pulpit when that happened.   He was a seasoned minister, and fully expected to be the pastor of the church his whole life.  But one day the Lord told him he was to hand the church over to a successor and that there was a new season ahead of him.    Despite his immense faith, years of experience, and lifetime of walking with the Lord, it challenged him a bit - thankfully he acted on the Lord's word and is ministering now in a totally different way!  (He's a great teacher if you want to listen to some - https://www.bobyandian.com/)

Now why am I telling you that?  Well, because when things change, or when things or seasons come to an end, it doesn't mean we've hit our expiry date!  We can give up , become despondent or discouraged but the truth is CHRISTIANS DON'T EVER HAVE AN EXPIRY DATE.   We never become too old, beyond use, or obsolete.   

I was thinking about Anna this week.  We don't know a huge amount about her but this is what we know.

Luke 2:36-38
Anna, a prophet, was also there in the Temple. She was the daughter of Phanuel from the tribe of Asher, and she was very old. Her husband died when they had been married only seven years. Then she lived as a widow to the age of eighty-four. She never left the Temple but stayed there day and night, worshiping God with fasting and prayer. She came along just as Simeon was talking with Mary and Joseph, and she began praising God. She talked about the child to everyone who had been waiting expectantly for God to rescue Jerusalem.

I want you to think about that.  She was married somewhere between 13-20 probably as that was customary.  She was with her husband for just 7 years before he died.   For the next 84 YEARS the bible says she worshipped or served God in the temple day and night fasting and praying!  Day and Night!  
Can you imagine that?   She was married but it looks like she never had children either, so after 7 years she was left alone.   She could have said that her life was over and that she was useless,  but instead she just continued to love God in the temple.  That's amazing.  Her life didn't look the same as it did before.  But she was far from obsolete.  I have no doubt that she was a blessing to the Lord and she was among the first few people who saw and recognised the Messiah!     She became an evangelist telling everyone about Jesus.   

Seasons of life change. Maybe you're not physically able to do the things you used to do.  Maybe your passions have refined or changed, maybe you're a little lost right now. It happens, but the truth is that you have not reached your expiry date, because you don't have one!  

Today, if you feel lost,  a lack of direction or that one season has ended, I encourage you let go of what is past and get involved with worshipping God while you wait for his direction, I guarantee he's not done with you yet! 



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