God’s Promises to the Elderly
The Bible has promises for every stage of life and especially for the elderly to claim. The Lord promises the elderly, “Even to your old age, I am He, and even to gray hairs I will carry you! I have made, and I will bear; even I will carry, and will deliver you” (Isaiah 46:4). The Lord would never stop loving His own. So long as life lasts, He will care for them as compassionate parents watch over their children.
Jesus Christ is “the same yesterday, and today, and forever” (Hebrews 13:8). Human life changes but God is constant in His dealing with children. His love endures forever (Psalms 100:5). The care, tenderness, and affection that the Lord bestows on His children in their infancy and youth will continue with them until they are full of years.
Our Heavenly Father
God’s love surpasses that of the most tender parent and the kindest nourisher of the young. The parent’s love may grow less as their children reach adulthood, but God’s love continues till the end. His people are the objects of His love and care (1 Peter 5:7). Growing older does not make people less dependent. Every stage of life makes the believers more aware of their need of God’s sustaining grace.
As the Lord takes care of His own in their infancy, He will not leave them in their infirmities and the trials of the advanced years of life. The Psalmist writes, “O God, from my youth you have taught me, and I still proclaim your wondrous deeds. So even to old age and gray hairs, O God, do not forsake me, until I proclaim your might to another generation, your power to all those to come” (Psalm 71:17,18).
The Lord will never forsake His children for they are His workmanship and His redeemed people, redeemed “with the precious blood of Christ” (1 Peter 1:19). Paul declares, “He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?” (Romans 8:32). The believer could ask for no greater proof of love than is given in this verse.
When God offered His Son, He also gave Himself (2 Corinthians 5:19), and thereby showed the universe how far He was willing to go to redeem repentant sinners. Surely, then, no matter what hardships may come, we should never doubt that our Savior is ever working for us and that He will grant us all that is needed for our present and future welfare.
A Prayer
When compassed about with infirmities, let us pray “Do not cast me off in the time of old age; forsake me not when my strength is spent” (Psalm 71:9). Let us claim His promise that says, “I will bear; even I will carry, and will deliver you” (Isaiah 46:4). If God was David’s “rock” and “fortress” when His servant was in the full power of manhood, He would need to be a greater help when the psalmist faced old age with its physical and mental weaknesses.
Therefore, we need to trust the Lord and not worry about our remaining days or years. He will still provide for us and watch over us as His children. The Lord promises that the righteous elderly will continue to be productive and glorify God by their good works. “The righteous flourish like the palm tree and grow like a cedar in Lebanon. They are planted in the house of the Lord; they flourish in the courts of our God. They still bear fruit in old age; they are ever full of sap and green” (Psalm 92:12-14).
In His service,
BibleAsk Team
