Psalms 103:5 Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle’s.
From the moment we were conceived we began aging, growing older by the day. We may slow down the physical aging process by exercising, eating right and other natural techniques – but we cannot ultimately stop it. This mortal flesh, our outer man, is “wasting away” and moving toward decay as we await the immortal bodies promised us in the Resurrection.
Yet this scripture offers us a renewal of our youth. And we see some remarkable examples of this, especially in the Old Testament. It is said of Moses at the age of a hundred and twenty that “his eyes were not weak nor his strength gone.” [Deuteronomy 34:7] Caleb had this testimony: “So here I am today, eighty-five years old! I am still as strong today as the day Moses sent me out; I’m just as vigorous to go out to battle now as I was then.” [Joshua 14:10-11]. Even after the flood of Noah’s day, it seems we have some access to longevity and vigor.
We have all heard of the “Fountain of Youth”. You can still drink from a spring in St. Augustine Florida, commemorating the Spanish explorer, Ponce De Leon’s legendary search for it. Ponce’s body is long gone. And however long he survived, I suggest he was looking for the wrong “Fountain”.
Our Spring of Living Water, our source of youth and vigor is our God, our Father in Heaven, His Son Yeshua (Jesus), and His Presence and His indwelling Holy Spirit. The Way, the Truth, and THE LIFE, lives within every born again believer. Dwelling in His Presence is the fountain of renewed youth for us.
Moses spent great amounts of time in and near the Presence of God. Check it out for yourself. Moses even glowed from it, once, and it clearly affected his physical constitution. Spending time with God, in His Presence, in His Word, will renew your youth; physically, emotionally, and spiritually.
Are you feeling old today? Get into His Presence; get into His Word, and be renewed once again!
Copyright 1999-2024 Worthy Devotions. This devotional was originally published on Worthy Devotions and was reproduced with permission.
How to display the above article within the Worthy Suite WordPress Plugin.
[worthy_plugins_devotion_single_body]As we continue our study of the Mighty Men of David, another quality is worth pointing out — they were not procrastinators. Notice that these men decided to cross the Jordan river when it was at flood stage! They didn’t wait till the river receded, but rather, boldly crossed when it was the most dangerous!
As David grew in stature those who stood by him increased in number, devoting themselves to fight with him. Though it was a time of adversity for David, and a time of warfare, he found that there were many willing to join their lives to his; "...a brother is born for adversity"; and "there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother". Again we note that David's anointing and his character made him a friend to many...and many became his loyal friends.
A program by National Geographic gives a powerful illustration for us. In the great annual wildebeest migration in Serengeti National Park in Africa a giant herd, thousands of wildebeest, slowly move in groups across the plain. They are invariably followed by stalking lions. But the lions never attack the herd – they simply watch carefully for the stray wildebeest, either careless or seeking greener grass, who separates himself from the larger groups of animals. The isolated wildebeest will become the sudden prey of the lions who attack with lightening speed and ferocity.
50,000 soldiers from the tribe of Zebulun served in David’s army with UNDIVIDED (some translations: “not double-hearted”) hearts. Can you imagine a skilled army with this level of loyalty and devotion?
The mighty men that followed David were of one mind and heart to make him King. Their recognition of David’s anointing may have been the most significant quality of these Mighty Men. What was it in David that drew out this deep loyalty? I believe it was God’s Holy Spirit which David received when Samuel anointed him king.[1 Samuel 16:13].
In the 1970s when the Alaskan Pipeline was being constructed many Texans went to Alaska to work on the pipeline alongside the Eskimos, native Alaskans. However the Texans could only work a few hours in the frigid weather, while the Eskimos could easily work for hours on end.
The second great awakening took place around 1790 until the 1840s. This movement saw ‘circuit riders’, traveling preachers who spread the Gospel to the edges of the frontier, affecting the growing American populace. Camp meetings in rural areas outside the traditional church with the primary focus of soul winning, were like “brushfires” of the Holy Spirit, attracting people for miles.