If you want a good example of someone growing old in their purpose, then look no further than Joshua, who played a key role in Israel's history and has a book in the Bible named after him:
After a long time had passed and the Lord had given Israel rest from all their enemies around them, Joshua, by then a very old man, summoned all Israel—their elders, leaders, judges and officials—and said to them: “I am very old. You yourselves have seen everything the Lord your God has done to all these nations for your sake; it was the Lord your God who fought for you. Remember how I have allotted as an inheritance for your tribes all the land of the nations that remain—the nations I conquered—between the Jordan and the Mediterranean Sea in the west" (Joshua 23:1-4).
We're told twice that Joshua was "very old," once by his own admission, but Joshua had not retired. Instead, he was still encouraging and directing the people. But look at something interesting he said in his address: "I allotted your inheritance" and "the nations I conquered." Joshua didn't attribute those two things to the Lord, but saw them as part of his legacy. Some would find it offensive or shocking for someone to claim "I earned this degree" or "I built this company" but in essence that's what Joshua said. He said that he did those things.
It's reminiscent of what Nehemiah prayed at the end of his book:
So I purified the priests and the Levites of everything foreign, and assigned them duties, each to his own task. I also made provision for contributions of wood at designated times, and for the firstfruits. Remember me with favor, my God" (Nehemiah 13:30-31, emphasis added).
You see, you have choices to make if you're a person of purpose. God isn't going to direct your every step. You'll have to do things that are consistent with who God made you to be if you want God to "remember" you. You'll have to be able to list what you've done if you want to hear, "Well done, good and faithful servant."
I'm a writer. Has God directed me to write all my books? He has for some of them, but for others, I decided to write. If I'm a writer, I should be busy writing, just like a bird should be busy singing. I don't need an engraved invitation from heaven to do so (neither does the bird). What's more, I have no intention of retiring and I don't expect anyone to honor me just because I have "gray hair."
If someone wants to honor me—and it's totally up to them with no expectation from me—then I have to be worthy of honor by having "conquered nations, allotted land, purified the priests, made provision for contributions" like Joshua and Nehemiah did. I have to perform my own mighty deeds.
What are your expectations when you have "gray hair"? What are you doing to leave a purpose legacy? if you are still physically able, are you still performing "good deeds" of your own volition? Can you pray, like Nehemiah, that God will remember you for something? Like what?
You must have a purpose, for you're still here reading this. That means there's still time to make the most of the opportunities for you to do things for God. Don't be passive and wait for things to happen; make things happen and then you can join Joshua, Nehemiah, and hopefully me, in the list of old-age achievers. Have a blessed week.
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