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| PentecostalTheology.com
MESSAGE TO THE ELDERLY – Ray E Horton
“The glory of this latter house will be greater than the former, says the Lord of Hosts” (Haggai 2:9). Your best is yet to come. You still have a destiny to fulfill.
Without a strong faith, life can be hard for the elderly, and it is easy to lose hope. Life can get lonely as loved ones pass on, and, as one gets older, our physical condition does get more difficult. When young, it seems that time will never come, but it does.
Your best is yet to come
Even the aged can have a great and fulfilling future with the right attitude. The past is gone, and life goes on. So, my focus is on life’s calling in the now, day by day, and the hope for the future
For myself, as I get older, I don’t spend a lot of time looking back, avoiding “what if,” “if only,” “I should have,” etc. Those are only good for the sake of repentance, and lessons to teach others, but must not be our focus. The past is gone, and life goes on. So, my focus is on life’s calling in the now, day by day, and the hope for the future. Even the aged can have a great and fulfilling future with the right attitude.
But I am strong in faith. What of the person who isn’t there? How do we encourage them? We listen and love, which gains their trust, then, empathetically share His goodness.
I had occasion to do that for a lonely believer nearly age 90 recently. What was put on my heart might be helpful to others as well:
“All you can do in the natural is to do your best to take care of yourself. But be sure to put your trust in the Lord’s faithfulness to you. Since ‘He’ll never leave you or forsake you,’ He is there always for you to draw on His strength when you don’t seem to have your own.
“As you pray and believe and trust in Him, you can take what life brings. But you can also believe that all will go well with you and overcome through prayer and faith.
Encourage yourself in the Lord
“You can be older and not discouraged. We all face the potential of discouragement then life gets tough. That’s why you must encourage yourself in the Lord. Feelings are not wrong; they just are. But, when negative ones come, it is good to change the subject in our minds and think of good things that we are thankful for.
“Read Philippians 4, verses 4-8 in your Bible and meditate on those words and do as it says. It will be a big help. It says to rejoice always. How? By prayer and thanksgiving when care and anxiety come. That brings peace. Verse 8 tells us to think of those things that are good and lovely.
“With age, we often have more time. Make new friends at church and elsewhere. God will give you a spiritual family. Volunteer to help others. It is in giving that we receive, and we get our minds off ourselves.
Spend time with God
Your latter years can be greater than your former. Let Him give you His vision for your life and get back in the race
“Spend more time in God’s Word and in prayer to go deeper in your relationship with Jesus. Develop intimacy with Him, and you will experience a new joy, knowing He is at hand, and loves that time with you, and will speak to your heart. That will be a source of renewed strength.
“Let Him stir up a fire in your heart. If you don’t experience a prayer language in heavenly tongues, ask for and receive the Baptism in the Holy Spirit. It is truly rejuvenating, a true refreshing, and it will keep you young at heart.
“And God will be able to inspire you to come out of spiritual retirement, a place we should never be, and be effective for Him and His people in advancing the Kingdom.
“We all need purpose, and He still has a plan for you. Don’t give up on yourself because He hasn’t given up on you. Your latter years can be greater than your former. There is much to do in His strength. Let Him give you His vision for your life and get back in the race.
“And one day, when it is our time to graduate from earthly life, we will have glorified bodies with no infirmity, and will hear Him call us “good and faithful servant,” not because of our successes, but because of our trust in Him.
“Jesus, ‘for the joy that was set before Him (which was us), endured the cross.’ Since He endured it, we don’t have to. In recognition and fellowship with His suffering, we can share in His joy.”
