Bible Society of South Africa
Hennie Symington

Change, Advent and Christmas – Day 3

As birthdays come and go …

Se(di)ngolwa (t)sa Bibele

Pesalema 31

14Ke utlwa ditshebo tsa ba bangata,

ke tshoswa ka nqa tsohle;

batho ba nkunuta ba le mmoho,

ba rera ho fedisa bophelo ba ka.

15Empa nna ke tshepile wena Morena,

ke re: “O Modimo wa ka!”

Pesalema 31:14-15SSO89SOBula ka mmadi wa Bibele

The day that I turned 65 is, technically, the day that I would have been put out to pasture, as the old saying goes. According to general company practices and the law of the land, 65 is a good age to stop working (for money, I might add).

So here I am, too “old” to work but still labouring as hard as ever in the fields of the Lord. I can imagine God chuckling in glee at all these “golden oldies” that he can use at last to till the soil and sow the seeds.

Reflecting on close to 40 years of working life, give or take a couple of years of child rearing and keeping house, I feel so blessed. Knowing that I was a restless soul, God gave me a bit of everything to do over the years – teaching, writing, bringing up my own children, painting pictures, translating, working with people in various and varying congregations, working with the Bible and being given many opportunities to bring the word closer to people. And still, it’s not the last of it. The fields may change but the calling hasn’t. And neither will it, I believe.

Did I foresee the path my life would take? Like everybody does, I’ve made my mistakes and still do; I’ve made the wrong choices quite often, and still do; I have often lost my way, and still do; I’ve said hurtful things about people, and still do; I’ve neglected my faith at times, and still do. Yet, God has kept me close – knowing my weaknesses better than I do. So, here I am, still blessed with God’s goodness and forgiveness. So I’ll just carry on until it’s time to go – only God knows when!

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