Remember your Creator in the days of
your youth, before the days of trouble come and the years approach
when you will say, "I find no pleasure in them"- before the
sun and the light and the moon and the stars grow dark, and the clouds
return after the rain; when the keepers of the house tremble, and the
strong men stoop, when the grinders cease because they are few, and
those looking through the windows grow dim; when the doors to the
street are closed and the sound of grinding fades; when men rise up at
the sound of birds, but all their songs grow faint; when men are
afraid of heights and of dangers in the streets; when the almond tree
blossoms and the grasshopper drags himself along and desire no longer
is stirred. Then man goes to his eternal home and mourners go about
the streets. Ecclesiastes 12:1-5
Solomon in chapter 12 of Ecclesiastes
vividly and soberingly writes about "the days of trouble" -
aging. He compares growing old to "the clouds return after the
rain." In other words, infirmities (storms) come in
ever-decreasing intervals; one problem comes and another is right
there behind it. Then Solomon gets very specific about the challenges
of aging. He writes, "the keepers of the house tremble."
This is figurative language for our arms and hands beginning to shake
- Parkinson's sets in. Then he adds in verse three that even strong
men's posture begins to stoop. (Well, I guess I need to start sitting
up straighter!) Then Solomon shares that grinders cease because they
are few - you loose your teeth. He adds, your "windows grow
dim" - your eyesight fails. In verse four, he writes, "men
rise up at the sound of birds" - it's hard to sleep deeply when
you age, so I am told! Then he continues, "songs grow
faint." Older people lose their ability to hear. (To this I can
testify!) I also think Solomon is saying older peoples' enjoyment of
life fades. In verse five, Solomon declares "men are afraid of
heights." Literally as we age it's hard to get the breath to
scale great heights. Also in the world, we lose our daring and dreams
to scale the heights! Next, he talks about "dangers in the
street." Older folks become afraid to venture outside because of
perceived or real chances for accidents. Then he adds humorously, the
almond tree blossoms - our hair goes white and "the grasshopper
no longer jumps" and "desire is no longer stirred" - no
sexual desire! What a gloomy, but true description of aging. Praise
God in the kingdom the saying, "Life is hard and then we
die" is absolutely not true!
These past few weeks Elena and I have had the opportunity to see the
promise of the kingdom in Acts 2:17 become true - "Your old men
shall dream dreams." Craig Fabian has begun to pull together the
older singles (late 30's to 70's) to meet their specific needs for
fellowship and to call them higher by serving and mentoring the
younger singles. Also, we met with Kevin and Bunny Wall and Val and
Svan Skulason, who are both "empty nester" couples. They too
want to build a fellowship for the more "mature" in the
congregation. Two weekends ago all of us met together to
"brainstorm" the needed formation and dynamics of a new
fellowship group of older disciples which would involve about 25
disciples in our congregation.
In the meeting, I shared that many
years ago in Los Angeles, Cecil and Helen Wooten sensed a similar need
in the LA congregation. With just 20 disciples, mostly older singles,
they formed the OASIS ministry (Older Active Singles In the Spirit.)
After a few years, there were 350 involved in their fellowship! This
ministry encouraged deep relationships - because as we age we need
people who understand our physical and emotional challenges. We also
need loving encouragement not only to persevere, but to grow through
the trials age forces upon us. (James 1:2) "New Horizons" is
the "kingdom appropriate" name of this new fellowship! The
first meeting is a dinner-devotional on March 6.
A couple of weeks ago, I was asked to
join a study initiated by Ron Inloes, age 62, and Wallace Arsenmeier
who is 76! The three of us studied with a middle-aged man named
Robert. It was awesome to see the gospel give this man hope. Most
encouragingly it was great to hear Wallace and Ron share with him
about their struggles, dreams and joys in Christ. Their convictions
were so strong. Robert was baptized Saturday afternoon by Ron and
Wallace! All of us should follow the example of these two brothers
that getting older means getting more mature, continually "being
transformed into His likeness with ever increasing glory, which comes
from the Lord, who is the Spirit." (2 Corinthians 3:18) Let us
not simply age, but let us all become mature in Christ! And to God be
the glory!
Kip McKean
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