Aging Gracefully

"Those that be planted in the house of the LORD shall flourish in the courts of our God. They shall still bring forth fruit in old age; they shall be fat and flourishing; To shew that the LORD is upright: he is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him." (Psalm 92: 13-15 KJV)

For most people growing old is depressing. It ought not to be, however. There are "keys to successful aging" to be found in the word of God.

The world gives its advice for "growing old gracefully." Much of this counsel is not according to the word of God, however, and can prove to be a great disappointment to those who "hang their hopes" for joyous "golden years" on this worldly advice. How many today are spending thousands of dollars to get "face lifts" and other aids to "staying young"?

In our modern society, youth is glorified and old age is viewed as a curse, something to only be dreaded. Where are the books on "growing up gracefully"? It seems that such is as important as "aging gracefully."

It is no mean promise given to men in the above Psalm. In it Lord God promises a meaningful, and productive, and happy aging experience to his people, to those who have been "planted in the house of God," who have become a part of the "church of the living God," and which is the same as the "house of God" and the "pillar and ground of the truth." (I Timothy 3: 15 KJV)

All kinds of advice is offered today on "how to grow old gracefully" and how to deal with aging; exhortations to "accept changes" or to "find meaningful activities," and such like, are heard regularly. It is reasoned that it requires wisdom and education to successfully live in one's "declining days." People are warned - "Aging gracefully isn't always easy, but attitude matters a lot."

No one needs to be informed of the "negative aspects of aging" for they are quite visible to everyone. Yet, very few, if any, are exempt from anxiety and fear about growing old and feeble. Even those of God's children with the greatest of faith, are not exempt from concerned thoughts about the time of old age.

"Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them; While the sun, or the light, or the moon, or the stars, be not darkened, nor the clouds return after the rain: In the day when the keepers of the house shall tremble (physical tremors), and the strong men shall bow themselves (literally in body), and the grinders cease because they are few (lose teeth), and those that look out of the windows be darkened (poor eyesight), And the doors shall be shut in the streets, when the sound of the grinding is low (poor hearing) and he shall rise up at the voice of the bird (old people get up earlier), and all the daughters of musick shall be brought low(poor hearing); Also when they shall be afraid of that which is high, and fears shall be in the way, and the almond tree shall flourish, and the grasshopper shall be a burden, and desire shall fail: because man goeth to his long home, and the mourners go about the streets: Or ever the silver cord be loosed, or the golden bowl be broken, or the pitcher be broken at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the cistern." (Ecclesiastes 12: 1-6 KJV)

The "evil days" or "troublesome days" are the days of old age. It is that period of time when one's life is "drawing to an end" and when "pleasure" in former things is lost, and when the body is sunken and bowed down, and when the hands shake, when little things, like going to the bathroom, become a "burden," and when one loses teeth, hearing, and sight, and strength to move around, and so become a "shut in."

According to Solomon, old people also experience many fears, like the fear of heights, and of falls, and they now esteem of the greatest importance what they once thought was but a light matter when young, and vice versa, now esteeming of little value the things that mattered greatly to them when young.

Solomon not only gives us powerful images of the aging of the body, the signs of coming death, but also poetic symbols of death itself, as it comes to all, by one method or another, whether it be by the "loosing of" of the "silver cord," probably an allusion to the spinal cord, or by the "breaking of" the "golden bowl," which is probably a simily for the brain, skull, or head, or by heart attack or lung failure, probably alluded to in the poetic expressions of "pitcher broken at the fountain" (pump) and "wheel broken at the cistern." The blooming of the "almond tree" is no doubt a metaphor for the gray head.

It is like going full circle; a man is first a baby, and shut in, but then the babe soon leaves the bed, and then the yard, and then the house, but then grows old, and then mostly stays at home, first in the yard, and then only in the house, and then only in the bed.

"Cast me not off in the time of old age; forsake me not when my strength faileth...O God, thou hast taught me from my youth: and hitherto have I declared thy wondrous works. Now also when I am old and greyheaded, O God, forsake me not; until I have shewed thy strength unto this generation, and thy power to every one that is to come." (Psalm 71: 9, 17, 18 KJV)

It is sad that the young forget the elderly, and fail to give them due honor and respect., and to physically care for them. A society that does not take care of its elderly is everywhere condemned in the word of God.

"Hearken unto thy father that begat thee, and despise not thy mother when she is old." (Matthew 23: 22 KJV)

It is sad that aging fathers and mothers have anxiety about their children and grandchildren caring at all for them when they are old and in need of help. Long ago, Lord God said:

"Thou shalt rise up before the hoary head, and honour the face of the old man, and fear thy God: I am the LORD." (Leviticus 19: 32 KJV)

Especially is this true for the godly old man and woman.

"The hoary (grey) head is a crown of glory, if it be found in the way of righteousness." (Proverbs 16: 31 KJV)

"The glory of young men is their strength: and the beauty of old men is the grey head." (Proverbs 20: 29 KJV)

God and righteous men and women will recognize the gray head as a crown when it is upon the head of a godly man or woman, on the heads of people who have heeded the words of Paul that exhorted -

"That the aged men be sober, grave, temperate, sound in faith, in charity, in patience...The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things." (Titus 2: 2, 3 KJV)

Such godly old men and holy women can expect God to do great things in their lives when they are aged in body. Notice these words:

"And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions." (Joel 2: 28; Acts 2: 17 KJV)

"Hearken unto me, O house of Jacob, and all the remnant of the house of Israel, which are borne by me from the belly, which are carried from the womb: And even to your old age I am he; and even to hoar hairs will I carry you: I have made, and I will bear; even I will carry, and will deliver you." (Isaiah 46: 3, 4 KJV)

"Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint." (Isaiah 40: 30, 31 KJV)

What great and precious words of promise are these words of God by the prophet! They ought to encourage all who are in their "golden years." They can be blessed of God to be the best years of one's life.

"Better is a poor and a wise child than an old and foolish king, who will no more be admonished." (Ecclesiastes 4: 13 KJV)

Yet, if one does not take the counsel of scripture, in what it says about growing old gracefully, or with grace, and with purpose and joy, then he no doubt will find old age a dreadful time. Which will it be for you? Will you face this time without the Lord?