Psalm 92:14 They shall still bear fruit in old age; they shall be fresh and flourishing. (NKJV).

That’s exactly what I’m going to be like! Fresh, vibrant, positive, still bearing fruit; and, still just a good looking!

We live in a world where the population is aging. There are more people now over the age of 80, than there ever was. And, more and more people are living to over 100! Official figures released by the Office for National Statistics show that 9,000 people in England and Wales have exceeded their 100th birthday and the figure is expected to rise to 40,000 by 2031!

By the middle of this century, one in four New Zealanders will be aged 65 or older, compared with one in eight today. The extra pressure this will put on the New Zealand economy through superannuation is an issue for the government to address.

But what does all this mean for the church? Quite a lot! How geared are we to use the wisdom and giftedness of our older saints? Is there a place where they can minister? Are our services catering for older people? Do we encourage the participation of the older folk? Does the church’s “vision” include and incorporate seniors? Is there an outlet for their knowledge and wisdom? These are all interesting questions.

A person’s usefulness does not end at 65 or 70. What a waste of potential! Picasso produced some of his greatest works at 90. Rubinstein gave one of his greatest recitals at 89. Marjorie Stoneham Douglas, who’s credited with saving the Florida Everglades, was still fighting for the cause at 100. Churchill became Prime Minister at age 65, and is known as one of the greatest wartime leaders.

Read your Bible: Deuteronomy 34:7 Moses was one hundred and twenty years old when he died. His eyes were not dim nor his natural vigor diminished. (NKJV). Job 42:12 Now the LORD blessed the latter days of Job more than his beginning; (NKJV). Noah built the ark when he was 500, went into it for a while, then came out and started the world all over again. Caleb was 85 years old when he said “Give me this mountain!” (See Joshua 14:12).

There are already millions of elderly people alive and you and I need to know how to relate to them. It’s a mistake to look at retired people in the light of what they have been, rather than what they can be. Too often they feel shelved. David said, Psalm 71:9 Do not cast me off in the time of old age; do not forsake me when my strength fails. (NKJV).

Do you want to be “filed away” when you’re old? No? Well, neither do they. Instead, let’s talk to them about coping with retirement; finding new ways to be useful; adjusting to a reduced income; learning to live alone; relating to grandchildren; understanding the aging process; maintaining high morale; keeping up personal appearance; and preparing for death. These are just some of the things the church can do to minister to the seniors.

Rather than shunting off our wisest minds or belittling their contribution, we should help them to find a significant place in the church. In a very real sense, their opportunity to have a voice and a role in the church’s ministry has been earned. Our culture shames itself by catering to teenagers who have less knowledge of what the church ought to be doing, while bypassing people in whom the Spirit of God has been working for 50 years or more.

Psalm 92:14 is our text for this Brief Word, but the preceding and following verses give us some insight into this issue.

Psalm 92:12-15 The righteous shall flourish like a palm tree, he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon. Those who are planted in the house of the LORD shall flourish in the courts of our God. They shall still bear fruit in old age; they shall be fresh and flourishing, To declare that the LORD is upright; he is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in Him. (NKJV).

The righteous flourish and grow; we’re only righteous as we are In Christ! Planted in the house of God. The local church must have a place for our seniors; otherwise they’re in danger of becoming stagnant and losing their freshness and growth and won’t bear any fruit. And that loss is a loss to the church and to the Kingdom of God!

There’s so much that our golden oldies can contribute to the life and ministry of the church. We live in a world desperate for the wisdom and skills our seniors have gained. Younger ones can be mentored by older ones, and thus the lessons learned on the anvil of life can be passed down. Just the testimonies of how the Lord has lead, blessed, kept, provided for and helped our seniors through their ups and downs is inspiring to many. We need to hear those stories! Let’s not marginalise our older saints and thus lose their ministry (and their money!).

We all know well the following verse: Joel 2:28 “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, your young men shall see visions. (NKJV). (See also Acts 2:17). It’s been said that dreams and visions are the language of the Holy Spirit. Through dreams and visions the Holy Spirit speaks. That being the case; then both old and young are important and necessary in hearing what the Lord is saying to the church.

So, if you’re young, seek out a senior and tap into their life wisdom, knowledge and spiritual insight. Just sit and listen! It’s true, the younger ones are the next generation who will lead the church and become the key players in business and in our nation. So seek all the help and knowledge and spiritual guidance you can get, by tapping into these old tried and tested minds.

If you’re older, ask the Lord to keep using who you are and that the flow of your gifts and ministry will not stop, but will continue to make a difference. Your ministry will probably become more relational than meetings. Seek out relationships with younger ones whom you can mentor and help through the challenges you’ve already faced. You’re not finished until the Lord say so! “The older the violin, the sweeter the tune”, so pick up your bow and make some music.

Credit: Word For The Day, Bob Gas, 12/9/11, 4/10/11.