When a problem presents itself, it is very important for man to consider the root of the problem. In scripture, the Lord would often accomplish this through inquiry. Before entering the garden, the Lord of course knew what had taken place. Yet, the first thing the Lord did was to ask Adam where he was. The Lord did this not to locate Adam, but He knew that Adam needed to get to the root of the problem. Adam did acknowledge what transpired to bring about the current problem but failed to take personal responsibility for the problem. When a problem presents itself, man should take the time to seek the cause of the problem. He should do so by willingly taking personal responsibility.
Unfortunately, some Christians have become convinced that old age serves as a sufficient excuse for a lack of service to the Lord’s work. Granted, the field of one’s service may change, but there should always remain a willingness to serve. For instance, Moses received his initial call to deliver Israel at forty years old (Acts 7:23) but did not lead God’s people out of Egypt until he was eighty (Exodus 7:7). When he died at 120 years of age, he remarked that “his eye was not dim, nor his natural force abated” (Deuteronomy 34:7). At forty years of age, Caleb received a promise from Moses concerning the possession of land in Canaan (Joshua 14:7-9). Forty-five years later, Caleb took possession by driving out the mighty Anakims (Joshua 14:10-12). Caleb did something in his old age that many of the young men could not or would not attempt (Joshua 17:13).
