A christian friend shared with me her frustration when she reached home late one night. Her mother had been throwing too many toilet papers into the toilet bowl and when she told her mother not to do that, she became angry and thought that she did not want her anymore.
Most of us can identify with this friend's experience especially when we are rendering care to our elderly. Taking care of them can be very challenging. They stumble, drop things, need assistance getting dressed and say curious things. Sometimes we ask ourselves, how long was this going to continue? Why are they behaving like small children, throwing tantrums? They can ask you the same questions several times within the next twenty minutes? Do I have the patience to answer their questions...
Lately I was reading a book on how to care for the elderly from a Biblical perspective. Caring for the elderly is to honor God and God has made it very clear who is to care for them. 1 Tim 5:4. To care for the needs of one's own family should be the frist priority. Long life is promised to those who honor their father and mother (Exod 20:12).
I enjoy that when it comes to our eldercare responsibilities, it is important to realize that I cannot accomplish this task alone. Because of the effects of sin, everyone who is apart from Christ lacks the ability to change and show the love needed to care for others in a sacrifical way. Without Christ, all efforts are fruitless and will not please God or truly help your loved ones. The good news is that Christ loved us so much that He came to earth as a man, sacrificed Himself, and suffered and died on the cross so that you can be forgiven of your sin before God. As we respond to God's love demonstrated on the cross, we find a love for Him that will generate obedience to His commandments and enable us to rely completely on Him. We can love those we care because the Lord first loved us (1 John 4:19). Taken from the Book "Women Counseling Women" by Elyse Fitzpatrick on hope for Caregivers of the elderly.
God gives us more grace when the burden of care grows greater and He is faithful and has promised that He will not give you more than you can handle. And even in the times when you fail to do what is required, God's forgiveness and perfect love will be there for us as well.
Dear lord, we give our elderly ones to you. We pray that your Holy Spirit will guide and direct our hearts to learn from you on how to continually serve and help them. Help us to look at them from your perspective, loving them the way you love them. In Jesus' name we pray.
Most of us can identify with this friend's experience especially when we are rendering care to our elderly. Taking care of them can be very challenging. They stumble, drop things, need assistance getting dressed and say curious things. Sometimes we ask ourselves, how long was this going to continue? Why are they behaving like small children, throwing tantrums? They can ask you the same questions several times within the next twenty minutes? Do I have the patience to answer their questions...
Lately I was reading a book on how to care for the elderly from a Biblical perspective. Caring for the elderly is to honor God and God has made it very clear who is to care for them. 1 Tim 5:4. To care for the needs of one's own family should be the frist priority. Long life is promised to those who honor their father and mother (Exod 20:12).
I enjoy that when it comes to our eldercare responsibilities, it is important to realize that I cannot accomplish this task alone. Because of the effects of sin, everyone who is apart from Christ lacks the ability to change and show the love needed to care for others in a sacrifical way. Without Christ, all efforts are fruitless and will not please God or truly help your loved ones. The good news is that Christ loved us so much that He came to earth as a man, sacrificed Himself, and suffered and died on the cross so that you can be forgiven of your sin before God. As we respond to God's love demonstrated on the cross, we find a love for Him that will generate obedience to His commandments and enable us to rely completely on Him. We can love those we care because the Lord first loved us (1 John 4:19). Taken from the Book "Women Counseling Women" by Elyse Fitzpatrick on hope for Caregivers of the elderly.
God gives us more grace when the burden of care grows greater and He is faithful and has promised that He will not give you more than you can handle. And even in the times when you fail to do what is required, God's forgiveness and perfect love will be there for us as well.
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