“The righteous flourish like the palm tree and grow like a cedar in Lebanon… They still bear fruit in old age; they are ever full of sap and green.” (Psalms 92:12,14, ESV)
We live in a world obsessed with youth, terrified of growing older—a world preoccupied with the latest potion, pill, nip-and-tuck that will keep us eternally young even into our later years.
We lurch along on our march through time, digging in our heels and grasping and clawing at anything that might slow down the relentless journey toward the end. But Scripture presents a much different view of aging for the righteous. The psalmist saw it, not as something to be feared, but as a blessed time of continued fruitfulness!
The righteous won’t do just OK in old age, he said. They won’t barely creep into the kingdom. They will flourish! Their lives will be vibrant with the life of the Spirit, and their fruit will continue to multiply through the years. Have you met older Christians like that? I have. And it is one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen. The fruit of their lives intensifies my hunger. The life they exuded increases my longing to deepen my own roots. They encourage me to drink deeply of the water of life.
Are you watching your hair turn gray—or turn loose? Are there more wrinkles today than there were a year ago? Don’t despair! Your time isn’t over! There are those around you who desperately need to be nourished by your fruitfulness, and Scripture promises all the grace you need to maintain the life and growth within.
Go deep. Grow strong. The world is counting on you!
Originally published in God’s Revivalist. Used by permission.
