Daily Devotions for Friday, February 6, 2026: A Legacy of Trust: Finishing Well

Experience the story: click the image above to listen

 

The Daily Devotional

Friday, February 6, 2026

A Legacy of Trust: Finishing Well

“For you, O Lord, are my hope, my trust, O LORD, from my youth... Do not cast me off in the time of old age; do not forsake me when my strength is spent.” — Psalm 71:5,9

Introduction

When we are in our 20s and 30s, we feel invincible. We drive the road of life believing that if we make a wrong turn, there is plenty of time for a mid-course correction. No problem. But then 50 rolls around, and the "roller coaster of life" accelerates. We whip around the curves, dip into the tunnel, and explode out the other side, brakes squealing, sliding haltingly into our 60s.

Suddenly, retirement isn't a distant dream; it is a yawning reality. As we watch the generation before us pass on—parents, uncles, older siblings—in my case, younger siblings—we realize our number in the "pecking order of life" isn't far away. We begin to ruminate on our legacy. We tally the good we’ve done and the good we left undone, wondering how we will be remembered. But the Psalmist suggests that our greatest legacy isn't found in what we achieved, but in Who we held onto when the ride got rough.

Reflection

Think of a classic, vintage automobile. For decades, it roared down the highway, powerful and sleek, turning heads with its speed and performance. But time is undefeated. Eventually, the gears grind, the suspension stiffens, and the engine sputters on steep hills. You can paint the exterior, but you cannot hide the mechanical wear of high mileage.

We are much like that machine. For years, we rely on our own horsepower to get the work done. But eventually, the "check engine" light of old age flickers on, and it refuses to turn off. I know this reality intimately. It isn't just a philosophical concept; it is the sharp, daily reminder of degenerative disk disease when I try to straighten my back. It is the frustration of torn rotator cuff muscles making a simple reach difficult. It is the deep, nagging ache of worn-out hip joints protesting every step I take.

Old age brings a distinct characteristic: weakness. It strips away our physical autonomy. In this season, we face a crossroads. We can spend our days in never-ending grumbling, bitter that our "parts" are wearing out. That is where many end up. Or, we can view these aches—the hips, the back, the shoulders—as the dawn of a glorious new attitude.

When our physical strength ebbs, our spiritual strength has the chance to soar. The greatest legacy we can leave is not a list of professional conquests, but a witness of reliance. It is looking at our broken body and saying, "Lord, I used to trust You with my strength; now I trust You with my weakness." Christ is the main work. From Him flows a legacy that says, "I trusted Him in the sunshine of my youth, and I trust Him still in the storm of my pain."

Application

Pain has a way of turning our focus inward, making our world very small. Today, try to flip that script.

Challenge: The next time you feel a specific twinge of pain—whether in your back, shoulder, or hip—use it as a physical "bell" calling you to prayer. Instead of grumbling, "My back hurts," try praying, "Lord, my back is weak, but You are my Rock. Be my strength right now." Let your physical limitation become a trigger for spiritual reliance.

Conclusion

Old age and the accumulation of physical ailments are not signs of failure; they are the natural course of a life measured out in days of grace. Your legacy will not be written in how well your joints held up, but in how well your faith held on. "Dear Lord, forsake me not in my old age! Let my legacy be that I trusted You until my very last breath."

Prayer

Gracious Father, my Rock and my Fortress, I thank You that You have been my trust from my youth until now. You know the frame of this body; You know the sting of degenerative disks, the ache of worn hips, and the frustration of limited movement. Lord, keep me from the temptation to be bitter. When my body fails me, remind my spirit that You never will. Do not forsake me when my strength is spent. Instead, let my endurance through pain be a testimony to my family and friends that You are enough. May I finish this race trusting You more today than I did when I was strong. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

---

Devotional by: Kenny Sallee, ThM — Deming, NM, USA

The Bible texts are from the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) Bible, copyright © 1989, 1993, the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.