National Senior Citizens Day

If we look at some online calendars, we will see some special days mentioned other than the regular holidays that we are familiar with. I happened to stumble across this one while looking at one of these calendars, and I'm glad I did, for we live in a society where the elderly are not always shown the appreciation and given the care they deserve. We owe a lot to our elderly. Their wrinkles, gray hairs, work-worn hands and frail bodies reflect years of loving, caring and all the hard work they put in to build the solid foundation that we take for granted today.

Look at your own family history and you will recall stories of heroism and courage your ancestors displayed. Take time today to go through your keepsake boxes and family albums with pictures of your parents, grandparents and maybe great-grandparents. Then go a step further -- call or visit at least one of them. Depending on their health status, they may not recognize you, but that's okay. Just your words, your smile, the touch of your hand will bring comfort to that person, and God will bless you for doing it because He cares for the elderly.

He says, "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: 4).   

The psalmist prayed, "Cast me not off in the time of old age; forsake me not when my strength faileth" (Psalm 71: 9) . 

In the Bible, not only did care for the elderly, but He used them to carry out His work. Noah was six hundred years when God called him to build the ark. Abraham was a hundred years old when his wife Sarah, ninety, gave birth to their son Isaac. You can read about them here. Anna, an elderly widow, and Simeon waited in the temple until they had seen the baby Messiah and pronounced a blessing on Him. And more can be said of Moses and Caleb and Israel and others. 

So today,  let us show appreciation to our senior citizens. Let us drink from their fountain of wisdom, let us treat them with gentleness and kindness and not abuse them or cast them aside, but cherish them as your Heavenly Father does.

Never Too Old

In my last blog I wrote about Sarah, Abraham's wife, who had a baby when she was ninety years old. It is a fascinating story, not just because it defies scientific logic, but because it shows the power of God to do the impossible. As He said in Genesis 18: 14, "Is anything too hard for the Lord?"

Many elderly people resign themselves to a life of uselessness, thinking that no one needs their services, their talents or their time. But that is not always true. Older people have a wealth of knowledge and experience to pass on to the younger generation. They are still capable of producing, sharing and giving of themselves to the world. If life has deprived them of their physical abilities, they can still tell stories to their grand-children or great grand-children and give valuable advice to younger people around them. In fact, as we grow older we discover new talents we never knew we had.

Remember Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, who advised Moses how to delegate authority?(Exodus 18: 14-23); Lois, Timothy's grand-mother, who brought him up in the Christian faith? (II Timothy 1:5); Simeon, an old man who was promised by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death until he had seen the Lord's Christ, blessed Jesus and prophesied to His parents about Him. Anna the prophetess, eight-four years old, also paid tribute to Jesus. Much more could be said about Noah who was six hundred years old when he finished building the ark, Enoch who walked with God for three hundred and sixty five years and Moses who was a hundred and twenty years old when he died, having led the children of Israel out of Egypt.

You are never too old to be used by God and for God. If you are elderly and feel that God is calling you to do something for Him, do not be afraid. God says, "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 46:4). Isn't it wonderful to know that we serve a God who doesn't abandon us even when we get old? So don't be afraid, for "He who has begun a good work in you is able to complete it until the day of Christ"(Philippians 1:6).