Courage Begins at 80 – Part 2

 Passage: Verse in Context – Deuteronomy 31:1-3, 6

 So, Moses continued to speak these words to all Israel. And he said to them, “I am 120 years old today. I am no longer able to go out and come in. The LORD has said to me, ‘You shall not go over this Jordan.’ The LORD your God himself will go over before you. He will destroy these nations before you, so that you shall dispossess them, and Joshua will go over at your head, as the LORD has spoken. …

 “Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the LORD your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.”

 Related Passage – Exodus 4:10-15

 But Moses said to the LORD, “Oh, my Lord, I am not eloquent, either in the past or since you have spoken to your servant, but I am slow of speech and of tongue.” Then the LORD said to him, “Who has made man’s mouth? Who makes him mute, or deaf, or seeing, or blind? Is it not I, the LORD? Now therefore go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall speak.” But he said, “Oh, my Lord, please send someone else.” Then the anger of the LORD was kindled against Moses, and he said, “Is there not Aaron, your brother, the Levite? I know that he can speak well. Behold, he is coming out to meet you, and when he sees you, he will be glad in his heart. You shall speak to him and put the words in his mouth, and I will be with your mouth and with his mouth and will teach you both what to do.”

 Questions for Reflection and Application

 Why do most men get “set in their ways” as they get older? Are you more risk-averse than you were when you were younger? Why or why not? Is risk-aversion a sign of maturity or a mask for fear of failing?

What does God want you doing now? Are you using your abilities/experiences to their fullest, or are you holding back because, like Moses, you’re “not the right man for the job”?

Prayer

Father, the life of Moses truly began when he was an old man. Help me to have courage, no matter what my age or what has happened in my past. Amen.

Chris Bolinger. After 27 years in tech, mostly as a product manager, Chris started Revitalize Ministries to help small-church leaders. He also served as an executive producer of the film “The Song.”

So, he decided to write a Daily Strength for Men Book which has sold over 200,000 copies. The book is the foundation of CLC’s Getting Real program, and a Spanish translation is now available. Chris’s latest devotional, 52 Weeks of Strength for Men, became available in April 2022.

A native of Akron, Ohio, Chris splits his time between northeast Ohio and southwest Florida. He became a grandfather in 2019. Find out more about Chris and his books at mensdevotionals.com.