Love Life!

I started to love life on earth, afresh, when I prepared the following exposition for a senior citizens' meet in Chennai. Hope this study would RENEW all who believe in the living word of God.

Goodness– Life Long

The psalmist and King, David said, “Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever” in Psalm 23. It is said about Abraham that he lived for 175 years, and he died at a ripe old age, having lived a long and satisfying life (Genesis 25:7-8). The last verse of Psalm 91 says,"Because he loves me," says the LORD, "I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.  He will call upon me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him. With long life will I satisfy him and show him my salvation." Can anything good come out of old people? Why not?

Consider Naomi. She would have died in bitterness. But much goodness came out of this lady in a highly adverse situation, much later in her life, when she was pretty old. She was widowed, left with two daughters-in-law who were widowed too. Loss of two sons in their prime age, even before they could beget children should have been a painful experience for this single mom. A child that loses parent is an orphan but thankfully there is no name, label in our vocabulary that would stigmatise a parent/s who have lost child/children. Even among the two daughters-in-law, one went away, however one clung to Naomi. Life turned upside down for her with this one remnant person, Ruth.

Old Naomi became a channel of blessing to young Ruth. Naomi could enjoy her life till her death, because of a great turn of events. Naomi was blessed with a grand kid, Perez, a progeny leaving a great legacy. Women said to Naomi, “He (Perez) will RENEW your life and sustain you in your old age.” (Ruth 4:15). Renewal of life happens for God’s children.  The highest honour was, Jesus, the Saviour of the world was born in her lineage. 2 Corinthians 4:16-17 says that though outwardly we are wearing out, inwardly we are RENEWED day by day. Our suffering is light and temporary and is producing for us an eternal glory that is greater than anything we can imagine.  Long life in a fuller biblical sense means eternal life and glory! Our bodies grow old, but our inner man/woman is renewed. We grow & glow as we age!

Elizabeth & Zechariah, an old couple were good role models, life-long, in spite of an adverse situation of not having a child of their own. Both of them were upright in the sight of God, observing all the Lord's commandments and regulations blamelessly. Miraculously they gave birth to a baby, who later became a great man of God. But alas, John the Baptist did not live long in this earth. Yet he was a huge blessing in his short span of life. He prepared the way for Jesus! Goodness and Mercy will follow all the days of our lives in spite of our adversities and sufferings.

Strength – Life long

The Bible says that Moses was 120 years old when he died, yet his eyesight was clear, and he was as strong as ever (Deuteronomy 34:7). Caleb said like this:  I am this day eighty-five years old. I am still as strong today as I was in the day that Moses sent me; my strength now is as my strength was then, for war and for going and coming (Joshua 14:10-11). Not all are physically as strong as Moses and Caleb! But, the Bible says in  Deuteronomy 33:25 that our strength will equal our days! Paul had a thorn, a pain life-long. But God’s answer to that was, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” (2 Corinthians 12:9)

Isaiah 40:29, 31 says: He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength. But those who keep waiting for the LORD will RENEW their strength. Then they’ll soar on wings like eagles; they’ll run and not grow weary; they’ll walk and not grow tired.” The eagle analogy God uses here logically connects to all who are worn out. At age 40, just like human bodies start wearing out, eagles undergo a painful and ugly process called moulting. With the coming of new feathers after a long wait, the eagle starts to soar high again! Psalm 103:5 says that God satisfies our desires with good things so that our youth is RENEWED like the eagle's. Isaiah 46:4 says, “I will still be carrying you when you are old. Your hair will turn gray, and I will still carry you. I made you, and I will carry you to safety.” I love the triple emphasis on the word, “carry “in this verse. Yes, God carries us all through our life, especially in difficult phases of our life.

Ministering– Life long

It was old Joshua who said, As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord! Joel prophesies about seniors too! God said through him, “And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions (Joel 2:28). C.S. Lewis said: You are never too old to set a new goal or dream a new dream! Consider the old people who blessed and prophesied/ and spoke about baby Jesus. Simeon blessed and prophesied about Jesus to Mary. Anna, a widow, who was eighty-four, did not depart from the temple, worshiping with fasting and prayer night and day. She praised God and spoke about the child to all who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem (Luke 2:37, 38). Paul was an old man when he was a prisoner of Christ Jesus (Philemon 1:9). These people ministered to God, life-long! Psalm 92:12-14 says, “But the godly will flourish like palm trees and grow strong like the cedars of Lebanon. For they are transplanted to the LORD’s own house. They flourish in the courts of our God. Even in old age they will still produce fruit; they will remain vital and green. They will declare, “The LORD is just! He is my rock! There is no evil in him!”” Being in fruitful ministry all through life is a blessing!

I conclude with a senior citizen’s prayer from the Bible:  Now that I am old and my hair is gray, don’t leave me, God. I must tell the next generation about your power and greatness (Psalm 71:18-19).  Let that be our genuine desire and prayer too.  God would bless us so that we would love life here in this earth and inherit life, eternal too!