The Centenarian

Our pastor said that we had a special guest in the congregation.
From the back of the church, an older gentleman pushed a woman in a wheel chair.
There she was, beautiful corsage pinned to her dress…a twinkle in her eye.

Today, we celebrate Mildred.
She will be 100 years old tomorrow!
There was a audible catching of breath and then as if on cue, everyone stood up for her.

The standing ovation was not planned…it was spontaneous.
This beautiful woman, who looks about fifteen years younger than her age, is well loved.
The older gentleman pushing her in the wheel chair was her son.

Pastor asked her other children to come forward.
Three of her four children stood next to her.
One son, a local farmer, had hurt his leg and was unable to join us.

Our church keeps families together throughout the worship service.
Newborn infant to the centenarian.
We are one family.
The younger children glean much from watching their parents and other adults worship.

Each Sunday the children come to the front for a special children’s sermon.
It was so sweet to watch our young church family gather around this precious woman.
Have you ever met anyone who was 100 years old? Pastor asked.
Every shook their head with an emphatic “no”.
The children seemed surprised that anyone could be 100 years old!

Mildred was born in 1913.
Imagine the changes and rapid growth she has seen in her lifetime.
She has been a member of our church since 1928 and was church clerk for 50 years.
She began to teach Sunday school at the age of 14.
She brought neighborhood children to church with her so they would hear the Gospel.

She was married 75 years to her husband, who is now deceased.
They don’t make them like that man anymore! she said, which made everyone laugh.
She has 4 children, 6 grandchildren, 8 great-grandchildren, and 3 great-great grandchildren.

One generation will commend Your works to another; they will tell of Your mighty acts. (Psalm 145:4)

Mildred is a living testimony.

Pastor called her a “saint”.
This term does not mean someone canonized, but rather, a member of the visible Church.
A saint is a believer in Jesus Christ.

Pastor talked about God’s faithfulness to this precious saint throughout her 100 years.
God called her and set her apart before the foundation of the world.
Pastor explained this to the children that were gathered around Mildred.

I watched her as Pastor spoke.
She sat in her chair and nodded her head in agreement.

She knows that apart from God’s faithfulness…His hand on her life, she would not be here.
HE gives her breath.
HE sets the number of her days.
HE never leaves her or forsakes her.

Mildred knows this and confesses this truth every chance she gets.

Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her; many women do noble things, but you surpass them all. Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. (Proverbs 31:28-30)

A spiritual legacy is vitally important
The effect of one life on generational faithfulness.

Joshua was the leader of the Israelites after the death of Moses.
He would be the one to bring them into the Promised Land.
As Joshua gathered the tribes together to renew the covenant, he challenged the people.

“Now fear the Lord and serve Him with all faithfulness…but if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve. Whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the river, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.”
“We, too, will serve the Lord because he is our God.”
Joshua said to the people, “You are not able to serve the Lord. He is a holy God; He is a jealous God. He will not forgive your rebellion and your sins. If you forsake the Lord and serve foreign gods, He will turn and bring disaster on you and make an end of you, after He has been good to you.” But the people said to Joshua, “No! We will serve the Lord.”
(Joshua 24:14,15, 18-21)

The Israelite people said they would serve the Lord.
The Israelite people said they would diligently follow Him.

One of the saddest verses in all of God’s Word is found in the book of Judges.

The people served the Lord throughout the lifetime of Joshua and of the elders who outlived him and who had seen all the great things the Lord had done for Israel...After that whole generation had been gathered to their fathers, another generation grew up, who neither knew the Lord nor what He had done for Israel. (Judges 2:7,10)

The Israelites failed to teach their children about the Lord.
They didn’t keep their promise.

Mildred taught her children about the Lord and the great things He had done.
Mildred’s children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and great-great grandchildren know the Lord and serve Him well.

Generational faithfulness.
Being intentional about passing the baton of faith.

Fear the Lord and serve Him with all faithfulness.

Who despises the day of small things…? (Zechariah 4:10)
Surely not the Lord, who sees the heart of those who love Him…and is delighted!

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Addendum:
Months after writing this, Mildred went home to be with her Lord.
(April 15, 1913 – July 27, 2013)