Guard Duty
(Written especially for friends in assisted living) Everything changes, including us. Ministry tasks we once did effortlessly now tire us out. Activities that we used to undertake easily become hard to do. As strength declines, we wonder: What can we do when we can’t do as we once did? I find hope in the Lord’s word to the Levites. The Levites have arduous ministry in the wilderness. Their job is to dismantle, carry, and reassemble the portable Tabernacle every time the Israelites move from place to place (Numbers 1:50-51). They do the heavy lifting—pillars, crossbars, curtains, animal coverings, altar and much more. The Levites start serving at age twenty-five. It is important holy work. But things change. When they reach age fifty, they must retire. The Lord tells Moses, “After retirement they may assist their fellow Levites by performing guard duty at the Tabernacle, but they may not officiate in the service” (Numbers 8:23 NLT). From heavy lifting, the older...