Happy and Sappy by Lisa Burkhardt Worley

The Texas 100-plus heat has really zapped some of my plants. If I don’t water them every day, then their life expectancy is not good. But sometimes I get busy and forget about them. 48 hours without water can be deadly.

We all know what a dead plant looks like. If you take one of its branches and break it in half, there is no life in it. It’s brittle, without sap, and the plant has to be uprooted and thrown away. I’ve discarded more plants than I’d like to admit.

Sometimes as we age, we might think we are like an old dead plant and that people want to discard us. Life can also be hard and we may feel like we can’t take the heat anymore. But it doesn’t have to be that way. Psalm 92:15 says, “They will still yield fruit in old age. They will be full of sap and freshness” (TLV). Who are they? Psalm 92 says it is the righteous—those of us who follow God and who are doing our best to live a godly life.

I am going to be honest. There are times when I don’t feel I can handle all that is on my plate. I am getting older and not quite as energetic as I used to be. I often crash early at night, This has been an especially busy week with company, television tapings and a conference. I need a break. But when I feel like I’m my driest, I realize I have most likely lost connection with the Living Water, Jesus, who refreshes me in His presence and in His Word. It takes an intentionally slower stretch, a good night’s sleep and an extra-long quiet time. It’s then that I start to feel the sap running through my limbs and I make a difference for Jesus again.

Most of the speakers at the conference I attended this week were probably in their early 40’s. They were younger, thinner and at the top of their game. There were moments where I felt like my season was over. I had to dismiss that thought. It’s straight from the enemy. He wants us to retire. One less to worry about!

For those of you who might feel like their best days are behind them, I want you to know that you have a lifelong assignment to glorify God and are never too old to be used by Him. There are no retirement incentives in the Bible. All you have to do is spend some time in His Word. Pray that he refreshes you and gives you His supernatural energy. Then tell Him you want to be used in a powerful way. The wilting plant will thrive again, you will bear fruit in the Kingdom, and you’ll be both happy and sappy.