“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;” Psalm 92:13-14
Did you know that Mickey Mouse is enjoying his retirement years? You wouldn’t know it, just by looking at him. He doesn’t seem a day older than when he first appeared on the scene. Yet Mickey Mouse is 94 years old. Not bad when the average mouse only lives for 2 years. Although Mickey is much older than me, he seems to get around a lot better than I do.
To say we live in a youth-oriented culture is an understatement. Older people in our society are often looked upon as a burden to the young. The market place gives little attention to the elderly, and when it does, it seems to perpetuate the myth that aging is always a bad thing. Let’s face it, what do you see advertised for the elderly on TV; you would think all we ever need is Burial Insurance, Denture Cream, Ex-Lax, and Depends. Even church ministry and outreach are geared toward the young. That helps to explain two worship services in many churches.
I recently studied an interesting Scripture in Numbers 8:23-26, where the Lord said to Moses, “And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, This is it that belongeth unto the Levites: from twenty and five years old and upward they shall go in to wait upon the service of the tabernacle of the congregation: And from the age of fifty years they shall cease waiting upon the service thereof, and shall serve no more: But shall minister with their brethren in the tabernacle of the congregation, to keep the charge, and shall do no service. Thus. shalt thou do unto the Levites touching their charge.”
I was astounded when I first discovered this verse. The Levites were men officially set apart by God for various ministry functions in the service of the Lord’s tabernacle and later in His temple. And God directed them to retire from their fulltime regular ministries at the age of 50!
As they got closer to their “senior” years, God had them turn their regular ministry duties over to younger Levites. They could assist these younger ministers, but they themselves could not do the ministry work that they had formerly done. Essentially, this verse was saying to them: Do your “regular service” up until a certain age. For the Levites it was 50; for Aaron the priest it was considerably older. But the point is, at some point in our ministries there may come a time to turn our ministry roles over to the next generation. I am not referring to retiring from Christian service, but modifying your Christian service to something more adapted to your stamina and strength.
Moses led Israel until he died at the age of 120! Now that is certainly the exception, not the rule. The point here is that our natural strength, vigor, and health definitely matter and will help us determine the “when” for our transition into new, fruit-bearing activities, better suited with our age, energy, and health. Then we notice King David…
“Moreover the Philistines had yet war again with Israel; and David went down, and his servants with him, and fought against the Philistines: and David waxed faint. And Ishbibenob, which was of the sons of the giant, the weight of whose spear weighed three hundred shekels of brass in weight, he being girded with a new sword, thought to have slain David. But Abishai the son of Zeruiah succoured him, and smote the Philistine, and killed him. Then the men of David sware unto him, saying, Thou shalt go no more out with us to battle, that thou quench not the light of Israel.”
II Samuel 21:15-17
Here the aging King David desired to keep going out to battle with his men. But due to his age, he became exhausted. Others had to come to his rescue and save the once great soldier king from being killed by a Philistine. David’s men realized that they needed to step up and replace their elderly king on the battlefield, so they exhorted him to let them carry the burden of the battles from then on.
Next, we are reminded of the ministry of the older ladies in the church…
“The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things; That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.”
Titus 2:3-5
Older ladies, you have a great ministry opportunity to the younger ladies in your circle of family and friends. The best teachers of womanly virtues to the young women are the older women who have learned important lessons over a lifetime. Our society is desperately short of godly role models. Sad to say, this is true even in many of our churches.
There is much fruit to be borne in your later years by being a good example of faithfulness, loyalty, honesty, integrity, prayerfulness, and other aspects of godly character. Even if in your later years you don’t hold some “official” role in your church, you can have a profound impact on others by the honorable example you set for them. Believe me, young people need to see such role models.
An important key to all this is found in our text verse: “…shall flourish in the courts of our God. They shall still bring forth fruit in old age; they shall be fat and flourishing.” It says they will flourish in the church. Stay devoted to the “house of God.” Be there when the doors are open. And go from there built up, energized spiritually, and flourishing in fruitful ministry opportunities even into your old age! I remind you…
Abraham and Sarah began their family when he was over 100 and she passed 90. They became a blessing to all the nations of the earth.
Joseph was the leader of his family until a ripe old age, Moses became the leader of Israel when he was 80 and continued to lead them until his death at 120.
The apostle John wrote the Book of Revelation when he was well into his 90’s.
At 65, Winston Churchill became British Prime Minister and while he was in his 70’s wrote his multi-volume work History of the British People.
At 72, Golda Meir became Prime Minister of Israel.
At 75, Ed Delano of California bicycled 90 miles a day for a total of 3100 miles in 33 days to attend his 50th college reunion in Worcester, Massachusetts!
Colonel Harlan Sanders began Kentucky Fried Chicken when he was 66.
“Thou shalt rise up before the hoary (grey hair) head, and honour the face of the old man, and fear thy God: I am the LORD.”
Leviticus 19:32
The late General Douglas MacArthur wrote something very profound about aging on his 75th birthday: “In the central place of every heart there is a recording chamber; so long as it receives messages of beauty, hope, cheer, and courage, so long are you young. When the wires are all down and your heart is covered with the snows of pessimism and the ice of cynicism, then, and then only are you grown old.”
In the secular world, when we reach retirement age, we can often afford to take life easy. We can enjoy life, travel around the world, take up new hobbies, or just sit on the porch. But where God is concerned, there’s no retirement age. Christians are to run the race to the end. Anna and Caleb are two Biblical examples. Older believers have entered a new and wonderful phase of life with different opportunities. These years can be among the most fruitful of your life for Christ, if you will make them so for Him.
As you get older, you will arrive at the apex of life. You have arrived at the top of the mountain where you can breathe the rare atmosphere of a long life of experience, knowledge, honor, and you’ll have an excellent view that none of those below you have ever seen. You have crossed many bridges, passed many crossroads, but you are still here—and you are here for a reason. The wrinkles in your face are marks of distinction that show character traits, laugh lines, and worries. Your tomorrows may be in short supply, but you can dream dreams of yesteryear, and rejoice in the life you have lived, and in the days that remain. You came through the hard knocks of experience and can teach others a few things about life. Life has given you a wealth of knowledge that cannot be learned in books. You have seen more changes in a lifetime than any generation has seen.
Notice this promise given in Isaiah: “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
My young friend, if God grants you long life, one day you will grow old. My elderly friend, one day you will make it home. Until then, live courageously for the One who died for you. Don’t throw your life away on the American dream of retirement. Don’t settle for anything less than the joy of magnifying Christ in your latter years. As for me, I want to be a fat and flourishing old man.
Dr. Worthington has been in the ministry for over forty five years and serves as President of Pathway Ministries and Christian Bible College.