I have had some heart-breaking discussions with my elderly brothers and sisters in Christ. One brother stated that he did not understand God. He had followed God and obeyed Him for many years, and now, in old age, he could not understand why God was allowing him to suffer. A sister stated that she was being attacked so viciously by Satan that she could hardly remain faithful to Christ. Another elderly person asked the question: “Why is God punishing me?” Why is this happening to the elderly Christians? Why, so close to the finish line, are they facing such battles? In this article I would like to encourage the elderly to remain focused on Christ and to remain faithful to Him.
Due to the many discussions I have had with the elderly, I have concluded that Satan is doing what he can to destroy their faith. Satan wants them to loosen their hold on Christ. He is also doing what he can to get them to quit, just before the finish line. I think it is important that we realize, as we get older, that the attacks of Satan will only increase. Satan, the liar, will only intensify his lies, so the elderly will give up.
As we get older, it becomes increasingly vital for us to cling to Christ and the promises we have in the Bible. I would like to share some verses from God’s Word to encourage our older brothers and sisters to remain faithful in their walk with Christ. We read in Psalm 92:12-15: “The righteous will flourish like a palm tree, they will grow like a cedar of Lebanon; planted in the house of the Lord, they will flourish in the courts of our God. They will still bear fruit in old age, they will stay fresh and green, proclaiming, ‘The Lord is upright; He is my Rock, and there is no wickedness in Him.’”
As the Christian gets older, it is important to stay fresh and green. This means staying connected to Jesus Christ through the reading of Scripture and through prayer. This also means remaining involved in the service of Christ. To be older does not mean to be doing less. To be older may mean to do different things, or to do things differently. Perhaps instead of inviting families for dinner, the older Christian could take the family out for dinner, or even give a gift card, and bless the family in this way.
In Psalm 92, the writer states: “they will still bear fruit in old age.” Getting older does not mean just observing or standing on the sidelines. Getting older, for the Christ follower, means to bear fruit that honors God. I like the picture of the Christian being in school. All of us have to learn. We could say that the older Christian is in ‘high school’. Being in high school means that many lessons have been learned, but also that there are still many lessons to be learned. This life stage also gives opportunity to teach the younger Christians how to be a Christ follower. For example, the older Christian can model the fruit of patience. This is important, since we live in a world of “hurry.” We can show younger Christians how to take time when making important decisions. We can explain that God’s timing and God’s schedule may not be in sync with our time, and that we need to learn patience. The older Christian can also teach patience in the daily routines of life, like standing in a line-up or waiting patiently at the doctor’s office. There is much godly fruit that the older Christian can bring forth, and in this way, encourage younger Christians.
Also in Psalm 92, we read: “…proclaiming, ‘The LORD is upright.’” The older Christian, through years of experience, can proclaim the goodness of God. The older Christian knows the importance of words, and that words have great power. When words are used wisely and carefully, they will be a great blessing. Grandparents can encourage, can speak truth lovingly, and correct. For the older Christian, it is important to know that words can affect their children and grandchildren for life. I remember my grandmother talking about me as a young boy and saying that I was a good boy. I needed to hear that encouragement. Paul, writing to the Ephesian church states this: “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen” (Ephesians 4:29, NIV). Children and grandchildren need to hear uplifting and upbuilding words from the older generation. Younger Christians need to hear how God has been faithful. They need to hear how to avoid some of the dangers in life, and how wonderful it is to follow Jesus through the highs and lows in life.
What the writer of Psalm 92 also wants to emphasize is this: there will be difficulties and dark valleys, but there is no quitting for a Christian. There is constant nourishment in the house of God. The older Christian has learned where to find that spiritual nourishment, and retreats there regularly. We can anticipate that there will be changes that come as we age. There may be a wheelchair in our future. There may be some physical changes that will happen, as this is often the way of life.
For the older Christian, our resolution is clear: we will cling to God! Leaving behind a legacy of a God-filled life is so valuable. I would like to encourage you, if you are noticing how the years are flying by and how life is changing, to commit your future to God. We do not know what life is going to bring us. We do know, however, that God will be there for us every step of the way. Let’s remember the words that Jesus spoke to Peter: “when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go” (John 21:18b). When this happens to us, let’s remember that we are never alone, that God is always with us, because God has promised never to forsake us. My prayer for you, my older brother and sister in Christ, is that these thoughts in Psalm 92:12-15 would be a description of your life.
Sieg Schuler
Calgary, AB
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