Within the last ten minutes I have crossed paths, and had two brief conversations with, two elderly gentlemen who love the Lord. They both are long-time members of our church and are a constant source of encouragement to me. They have a heart for others, and the joy of the Lord is their strength. Though one of them is approaching ninety and the other is well past ninety, they have a youthful zeal that many a fraction of their age lack.
What is their secret? Obviously the main one is that they both enjoy a close walk with the Lord. As I said, the joy of the Lord is their strength (Neh. 8:10). But more specifically, it can be said that they honestly believe (and rightly so) that the Lord has a purpose and plan for them to fulfill even as they are well into their twilight years. They are absolutely convinced that as long as they are alive, they have something further to contribute to the work of the kingdom. They are "not lagging in diligence" but are "fervent in spirit, serving the Lord" (Rom. 12:11). As I spoke with these gentlemen, one was headed out with a handful of Gospel tracts to a nearby nursing home. The other was preparing to place inserts into two hundred and twenty bulletins in preparation for this Sunday's worship service.
God tells us in His Word, "As thy days, so shall thy strength be" (Deut. 33:25). These men believe that and live accordingly!
This all fits very well with a blog I read on the Internet just two days ago. It was a blog written by Jay Adams, the "guru" of biblical counseling, who just turned eighty. He just started blogging ... at eighty years old! Gotta love it!
Dr. Adams begins the blog with the following:
Eighty years old! I truly never thought I'd live this long. It makes me wonder what the Lord has in mind for me to do during the last few years that I have left. Surely, without some worthwhile project or projects, I'd dry up and blow away. Whether writing these blogs is or is not a worthwhile activity I shall find out in time. For the moment, in addition to teaching at my church, this is my major activity.
I find it interesting how Dr. Adams acknowledges the need to have something worthwhile to occupy his time and energy. He goes on to speak about the physical limitations that he has as an older person. He can't walk as well or hear as well. He can still drive but would prefer not to. He thanks the Lord that his mental faculties are still intact. He then goes on to say:
At eighty, I ought to have some sage advice to give to the young. Let's see, if I were to pick one thing only, that might be of importance, what would it be? Hmmmm . . .I know one! Prepare for old age. True, you may never make it; for there are former students of mine who have died already. If you don't have some activity that you can engage in for the Lord, you will probably end up a sour and regretful old person. There's always something one can do so long as he has control of his basic faculties. If he is bedridden, he can pray. . . .
Let me stop right there, because in addition to the two fine men I interacted with this morning, there are several other godly people in our congregation who are infirm and laid up in bed. But they are some of the greatest prayer warriors I know. Thus their contributions to the body of Christ and the advancement of His kingdom are beyond our ability to estimate. They are a vital part of the work that God is doing in this generation because of their positive, God-oriented outlook. They think the way that Dr. Adam's thinks at this stage of his life, asking the same sort of questions that he asks in the closing paragraph of his blog:
What is next to do? To learn? To experience? That orientation, I think, has kept me current as I can be - given my physical limitations. Inwardly, I don't think of myself as old. I just think, "Here's another day - what shall I make of it? How shall I use it to honor God, and how can I be a blessing to someone else?" So long as I can continue that orientation, I think I'll be able to carry on reasonably well for another few years. If God wills. We're all immortal until God is through with us. . . .
Amen, Dr. Adams. May your tribe increase!