Monday Morning Manna: Is #18 in Sight Yet?

The struggle began again this week; worse than which club to use on a difficult golf shot. Back pain! MRI showed arthritis and muscle spasms. Return to Physical Therapy and the therapy pool. Once again I heard the two voices battling in my head. One reminded me it had been nine years since I retired, “from a position, but not from a calling.” The voice continued, “You’ve carried too much heavy luggage to too many places, traveled in too many tight airline seats for too many miles, slept on too many bad mattresses in too many hotels, prayer-walked in too many hot places resulting in too many skin cancer surgeries. Your body is worn out. It’s time to stay home and write another book.” The other voice reminded me how many times I said there is no such thing as retiring from God’s call. The voice uttered, “You said you would keep going as long as God gave you strength and even quoted, Psalm 71:18 about being grayheaded and still declaring “strength to this generation” and “power to everyone who is to come.” What to do! Which voice is God’s, and which is Satan’s? Tough struggle! When you’re on the back nine of life, someone needs to point you to #18 and then help you to the club house for rest and refreshment. I’m not there yet, but I’m a lot closer to #18 than I am to #1, and every now and then, the struggle returns.

Dr. Dan Crawford, Senior Professor at Southwestern Baptist Seminary, is the WestCoast Baptist Association’s Spiritual Life & Leadership Mentor. Follow Dan on Twitter @DrDanRC and Facebook www.facebook.com/dan.crawford.