“I have stilled and quieted my soul like a weaned child with its mother…”  Ps.131:2

I trust some of you may appreciate this simple greeting from an ageing man.  (85)

Once in my early youth an American friend from “The Navigators” came to see me in Denmark and said, “You have a lot of knowledge, but very little application” – I was deeply humbled and we prayed together, but what happened?  Very little.

I´d served my military service in Germany and applied myself to much Bible study and eventually, in the providence of God but also in close fellowship with a British brother and fellow solder, I felt led to go to the U.S. for missionary  training with “New Tribes Mission”.  I then became aware how much I still  had to unlearn.

My Bible knowledge was still above average “beyond many of my contemporaries”  (Gal. 1:14), but again lacking much application.  My “exploits” in the U.S. were by and large a failure despite my zeal for missions.  I went back to Denmark busy with meetings especially in Norway, where I saw awakenings among young people.

Much has happened which is of course now history.  At meetings in Copenhagen, I was very much stressing the exhortations of the Bible, as I felt that emphasis of the ministry was not there with my preaching friends, mostly from Norway, and they dwelt very much on the consoling truth of our position in Christ, in which I rejoiced but I was very biased.  In fact,  I´d become “a cake not turned”  (Hos. 7:8), without me knowing it.  And my ministry lacked application and love.

Today, because of failing health, I´m very much isolated in my Danish home with my Norwegian wife but still happy in one the Lord´s classrooms learning and unlearning.  I read the Bible as a fresh revelation, my overwhelming joy and power is Christ in all His relations and His precious Spirit is bringing home the challenges of His claims.

An unsaved friend at my age sees me every week, and he appreciates my simple gospel testimony  and expects me to pray.  I see a few others too, and so my “audience” and confined to “summits” at our dining table in our kitchen.

So, if you´re an ageing brother or sister, don´t frown at your age and its new trials at the Lord´s will.  You are still at His feet in one of His classrooms not to be condemned, though often disciplined as a genuine son of His till you´ll soon meet Him at the shore of Heaven and hear His smiling “Welcome home!”

April 28, 2022 - jn