July 20, 2025 Devo

Julia “Hurricane” Hawkins gave up biking a few years ago and took up running. She thought she might be good at it, but she wasn’t sure if she’d do as well as she did on a bike. But she did. A couple of years after she took up her new sport, she won the gold medal in both the 50 and 100-meter race. She also set new records in both of those races. That feat is more amazing than you can imagine. Julia did that at 103 years old! She was competing at the National Senior Games. This vibrant woman from Louisiana said she wanted to be an encouragement to those of us growing older. “Don’t stop,” she said. “You can still do things when you get older. Just keep moving and be interested in things.” After her husband of 70 years died at 95, she had a little more free time in these “golden years.” Julia may eventually wear out, but she’s certainly not going to rust out!
I thought of her when I read our verse for today. The Psalmist’s prayer is a great prayer. I think it reflects a fear that many of us experience as we grow older. We fear being cast aside. As our energy begins to ebb, and we find ourselves not being able to do the things we used to do, we fear being replaced, rejected, or not wanted. Though it’s true that our job titles and our responsibilities might have to change, and the kind of “races we run” may have to be adjusted, we still have a vibrant role on Team God! He still has work for us to do!
I remember sitting in my office several years ago when I got a call from a retired minister who attended my church. He was a seasoned pastor when I first got into ministry and was someone whose wisdom and wit I admired deeply. But he was up in years now and unable to preach or even to teach. Walking was a chore, though he made his way to church each week. He was also a part of a group that prayed regularly for the church and for me. That particular day he called just to encourage me. As one who has been in ministry, he understood my struggles. He told me that day how much he appreciated me and how much he enjoyed sitting under my preaching. He told me how proud he was of the pastor I had become. Then he asked me if he could pray for me. Tears ran down my face as this man of God lifted me up over the phone. When he was finished, he simply said, “I love you.” This man was my “Hurricane” Hawkins. Body fading, aging quickly, he was still running the race. God used him to fill the tank on that day of this pastor. It was a precious moment that blessed me more than he could imagine.
Run your race today. Regardless of your age, God is still with you. Age is just a number. He has not abandoned you or set you aside. Find your track. Find your new stride. Find the lane that God has set you in and run till you die. He’ll have your gold medal waiting for you in the end. That’s God’s word for you today.