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Sunday, July 21, 2013

Hard Questions – Is Aging A Curse or A Privilege?

 

Daniel 7:9 I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool: his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire.

We live in a world that idolizes youth.  There are multitudes of “wonder cures” for aging.  From Japan with their teen idols, to Cameroon where the old men dye their hair to look young, to the US where great quantities of health foods and herbs are eaten to preserve youth, the world is obsessed with not aging.  Many of the more well-to-do (and vain) even pay considerable amounts of money to have their skin and bodies altered so that they will appear younger than they are.  Age is generally no longer honored or appreciated.

This is interesting because it is in direct contrast to what scripture tells us.  God’s word tells us:

That age should be honored - Leviticus 19:32  Thou shalt rise up before the hoary head, and honour the face of the old man, and fear thy God: I am the LORD.

The aged are a source of wisdom – All of Proverbs
Psalms 78:1-4  Give ear, O my people, to my law: incline your ears to the words of my mouth.  I will open my mouth in a parable: I will utter dark sayings of old: Which we have heard and known, and our fathers have told us. We will not hide them from their children, shewing to the generation to come the praises of the LORD, and his strength, and his wonderful works that he hath done.
Titus 2:3-5  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.

It is a blessing to have children and aged in our streets - Zechariah 8:4-5  Thus saith the LORD of hosts; There shall yet old men and old women dwell in the streets of Jerusalem, and every man with his staff in his hand for very age.  And the streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls playing in the streets thereof.

That the elders sat in the gates of cities in Old Testament times and made judgments  - Joshua 20:4  And when he that doth flee unto one of those cities shall stand at the entering of the gate of the city, and shall declare his cause in the ears of the elders of that city, they shall take him into the city unto them, and give him a place, that he may dwell among them.  And other similar verses.

That the elders should be teachers and overseers in the New Testament church - 
1 Peter 5:1-3  The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed: Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind;  Neither as being lords over God's heritage, but being ensamples to the flock.

That white hair is a glory for those who walk righteously - Proverbs 16:31  The hoary head is a crown of glory, if it be found in the way of righteousness.

Here are few items for further consideration:

Never Grow Old? – This is an article I wrote awhile back about the idea that we are never promised eternal youth, but rather eternal life.  Perhaps we will continue to age after this life, but in a way that does not involve any decay, as it does not for our Lord Jesus.

Not Growing Old – A poem thinking on the idea that though our flesh ages, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.  2Corinthians 4:16 For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet theinward man is renewed day by day.  This poem compliments the above article in a curious sort of way because it underscores the fact that there is a part of us that does not decay, though it does obviously grow older.

Jesus Loves Me for Those Over 40

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