Notes on Hope Devotional

Sustain and Carry

Isaiah 46:4 (NIV)
 Even to your old age and gray hairs
    I am he, I am he who will sustain you.
I have made you and I will carry you;
    I will sustain you and I will rescue you.

Back in the day, there was a television commercial for a hair coloring product. It had a phrase, “Only your hairdresser knows for sure.” Well, my hairdresser knows, and so do you. I color my hair. I have several friends who have “gone gray” and look fabulous. It’s not a good look for me. However, my covered gray hair is there, reminding me that I am aging.

We are reminded daily that we are growing older. Aging brings a process of loss and shows us our limitations. This verse in Isaiah promises God’s unchangeability. The God who made us, who knows how many gray hairs we have on our heads, promises never to waver or wander. God has not, does not, and will not change.

In the phrases that follow, God is characterized as Creator, Sustainer, and Comforter. Isaiah is centering on who God says He is. As we age, knowing who God is keeps us from falling into the trap of thinking we no longer have purpose. Believing God keeps His promise steadies us as we lean, trust, depend, and deepen our relationship with Him.

Facing this “last act” of our lives produces a sense of what’s important and what our legacy will be. David Brooks, author of “How to Know a Person,” looks at “resume virtues” and “eulogy virtues.” Accomplishments and accolades will not be how we are remembered. How people remember us will be reflected in our character and the way we cared.

Aging is the opportunity to continue to walk with God, love others, and leave a legacy of God’s faithfulness. God is faithful to help us, sustain us, and carry us. He promised.

Dear Heavenly Father,
Thank you for the promise we have in You, to sustain and carry us as we age. Help us hold tightly to eternal things as we loosen our grip on temporary things. Give us strength as we journey ahead with You. In Jesus Powerful Name, Amen.