AGE IS NOT JUST A NUMBER TO GOD
As we say, age is but a number. Is it really just a number? Moses was called when he was 80 years young to intercede for the Israelites and to free them from bondage. He thought that he was the one to deliver them when he was 40 years old, however, the Lord did not allow him to deliver Israel through the murder of an Egyptian.
He had to flee before Pharaoh could kill him. I was called at an early age. While attending church, I became a youth (what we call) Sabbath school secretary. I was twelve years old and I remember vividly I had to give a report of what the classes were doing. In all the times I had to give a report, I did it in story form. I didn’t know at the time that what I was doing was a spiritual gift from God.
When I became a youth leader, I was in my early twenties. Was I called at an early age? I guess you can say that. The Lord gave me a lot of ideas for the youth in my ministry. In my thirties, however, I decided to move. No, let me correct that, it wasn’t I that decided to move, it was the Lord’s idea, but I didn’t know it at the time. I thought it was all my idea and doing, so when I visited my aunt in Georgia, I fell in love with the place, went back to Boston, gave my two-week notice and moved to Georgia without a job.
it Now I ask you, was that me or was it God? I collected unemployment benefits for a good while before I got a job. My very first job was at a hospital that I forgot the name of, but it was a night position. When I applied for the position, I made it plain that I could not work on Friday nights or Saturdays. I didn’t think they would hire me, but they did and I worked there for three years before I found another job closer to where I lived.
I went from that Job to Atlanta Medical Center and then to Emory and each time, I did not have to work on my Sabbath. Now I ask you was that me or was it, God? When I moved here to Georgia, I found me a home church to go to. I decided that I was just going to be a pew sitter. However, God had other plans for me and I didn’t know it. As I started attending the church, the time came for officers to be voted in for the year. Let me show you how God did this. The committee called out my name and I didn’t even know it until I got a call at home.
“Is this Oliver Lewis?”
“No, I am not Oliver Lewis, my name is Olive Lewis.”
“Well, your name was suggested for being one of the secretary’s for the church. Do you accept?”
“I guess so.”
I did accept because I felt that it was God’s doing and I wanted to be obedient. Can we say that divine intervention was imminent? I didn’t want to be involved, but God had a different plan for me. I didn’t know at the time that God was taking me through a process and preparing me for something.
As I continued on my journey, I moved to another church. In fact, all of the secretaries at the church moved to another church. It was newly formed and was started by a tent effort. We stayed there and I eventually became a youth leader. Is this not a full circle? I believe I was in my forties then. I worked with the youth for a number of years and quite a few of them are still in the church today.
Satan decided to step in. He felt that I had too much control over the youth, so he wanted to end it. He used several people to attempt to end that influence, however, in their attempt, God stepped in and they were the ones to leave the church. The only thing was that the damage was done and several of the youth did leave the church. I still work with youth, but not in the capacity I once did. I am now an author of seven books and in the process of writing several more. The Lord gave me the gift of writing. This is what he was preparing me for, not only for myself but for others. I am to help them to get their stories out as well. I am a modern-day Moses. So you see age to God is not just a number, it is a person who is willing to go through the process that he has to take us through to get us to where He wants us to be. God has also called as well as chosen me to help get their stories out so they can inspire and turn people's lives over to God.