No, I am not 50 years old . . . that is until February. Some of you are thinking, “Scott, you are so young, just a child.” Others are thinking, “Man, you’re old!”  This is not about my birthday. This is about fifty years.

Fifty Years!

Think with me about fifty years, half a century, five decades, one-twentieth of a millennia. If you are over 50 what have you consistently done for fifty years? I mean other than breathing, having your heart beat, eating, sleeping, and staying alive?

Most of us have a difficult time with consistency. I think of how many times in my adult life that I have decided to eat healthy. I will keep to a plan . . .  for a while. How many times have we started the year with a plan to read a book a month? How many times have we fallen off a Bible reading schedule? I sometimes tease that I am always consistent – consistent in my inconsistency!

Fifty years is a long time to be consistent.

With all this in mind I share with you an article I clipped out of a bulletin 25 years ago:

“A 50 Year Old Decision”

“People do not accidently attend worship without missing one worship assembly for twenty years. They must have planned to attend. Soon after I obeyed the gospel in 1909, I read of an old brother who had not missed going to worship a single Sunday in 41 years. That story caused me to resolve and to purpose in my hear that I would never miss worship on a single Lord’s Day as long as I lived, if possible to attend. I have missed four Sundays in over 50 years, and then it was because of illness.

Once I made that decision the question has not come up as to whether I would attend worship assembly or not. In fact, I did not decide last Lord’s Day to go to worship, nor the Sunday before. That decision was made more than 50 years ago.” – Gus Nichols (1892-1975).

As the year ends and a new one begins, I challenge you to be consistent in your walk with God. Be consistent in study, in prayer, in ministry, and in worship.

-Scott