Now that our trip is over I have learned a lot about our winter vacation. Definitely we had to seek God and be guided by him. It was a bitter sweet time as we recognized our parent’s aging. You really take it for granted that they will be with you for as long as we live but that is a false idea. I think we believe that because we don’t want to deal with letting them go. Yet, as time passes God still has plans for them.

One thing I do realize, God isn’t finished with them until they are in his presence. I understand from God’s Word that our journey ends when He comes to get us.

“O God thou hast taught me from my youth: and hitherto have I declared thy wondrous works.” Psalm 71:17

What a blessing to be an elderly person and your still declaring the wonder working power of God. I love seeing in our home church the elderly praising God and worshipping him. They are in his presence and you can witness many years of ones who have given themselves to the cause of Jesus Christ.

“Now also when I am old and grayheaded, O God, forsake me not; until I have showed thy strength unto this generation, and thy power to everyone that is to come.”
Psalm 71:18

Imagine how precious are those who still desire to serve God even when they are grayheaded. Only God could give this heart to a man or women who desires to live their life serving him forever.

As a younger woman I believe today we have let our seniors down in the churches. Just because they have gray hair doesn’t mean God is finished with their serving him. They have so much wisdom and they definitely have worshipped God longer than we have. They have wisdom from above, they have experience, and they have the wonderful love God has given them. All they need to know is we appreciate them and praise God for them.

As I think of my husbands parents, I see 2 people who have served the Lord most of their life and now they are just existing. The joy they once had is being consumed with pain, confusion, and sadness. We tried our best to encourage them and now I see in the Word God has plans to use them and that he hasn’t finished with them.

The greatest gift we could give our parents and the elderly in our churches is to let them know they are loved and God still will use them in service to the church. We concentrate on adults, youth, and children. But where is the affirmation and encouragement to the elderly?