Dear Trekker,

A few days ago, during my daily reading of Scripture, these words caught my attention: “By this time David was an old, old man, so he stepped down from the throne and appointed his son Solomon as the new king of Israel.” (I Chronicles 23:1). Well, these words more than caught my attention. I have been fixated upon them ever since I read them, and have changed the subject of this month’s ME  because of them.

First, I said to myself, “Well, how old was David?” Turns out he must have been in his late 60’s, let’s say 69 to be fairly accurate, because he died at age 70! Died at 70? Yes, then I mused, “Gee, I’ll be 85 in less than two weeks!” If David was an old, old man, what does that make me? An old, old, old man?  Indeed!

If you are an original trekker, you may recall I started writing these monthly missiles at age 70, primarily for the younger generation of friends and staff I had been privileged to meet and mentor over the years. My motivating verse, I quoted in February 2005, was Psalm 71:18 – “And now that I am old and gray, don’t forsake me. Give me time to tell this new generation (and their children too) about all your mighty miracles.” God has kept His end of the bargain.

I think the first thing one learns anew, as they “enter old age,” is that God doesn’t forsake us! AMEN! “I will never leave you nor forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5, Deuteronomy 3:16). “If God be for us, who can be against us,” Paul asserted to the Romans (8:31). If God be for us in old age who can be against us? No one!

If God doesn’t forsake us, we can thank Him profusely! As we do less and less for ourselves, thankfully the Lord and others are there to help us. As He leads us through each day of our lives, we can choose to thank Him for everything. This glorifies Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Our thanks is the essence of worship, and opens the door to see God’s blessings anew. We abandon ourselves to Him…He increases as we inevitably decrease as we age! If in thanks we embrace Jesus, we trust Him more. Trust becomes the inevitable result of undying, unconditional love. As we age and do less, we are led to trust Him more. And then finally, we too can say with Jesus, “Into thy hands I commend my spirit” (Luke 23:46). May we all remember, we are a forever spirit known by God always, with a physical body for a very short period of earthly time.

Yes, though fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14), we do age in earthly time. But He is the God whose Presence sustains us through the declining years and incapacities of the aging process. For example, the country is celebrating (as I write) the 50-year anniversary of “going to the moon.” President Kennedy, in answering why we went to the moon replied, “Because it is there.” Interestingly, there are a lot of things we don’t do in old age, even though they’re there, because we can’t.

But old age has its blessings, I am learning. The key to enjoying old age is to never stop living. A benefit of the aging process is simply slowing down, sometimes stopping, to observe more, to reflect continuously, to listen better, to talk less. With age, people defer to you, want to listen (sometimes) to you, and you can repay the compliment by in turn listening to them. People defer to your age. I don’t know how many times (it almost seems habitual) I am asked, “Can we help you with your groceries to the car?” I smile and say, “God bless you, but no thank you!”

Another blessing is you really do take your foot off the pedal of life. There is less and less that you have to do. It is easier to ask for and receive help when needed. Our pride of self sufficiency is swallowed so often, it is amazing we don’t choke! Your “schedule” is simplified. You simply slow down by choice or by necessity. You find “new norms” and forget the past…and definitely don’t dwell on yesterday. Thankful yes, but never allowing memory to mold into morbidity.

As we slow down, do less, listen more, we still exercise as often as we can. It is a blessing to exercise mind, body, and spirit, all leading to soul preservation. The internet tells me one in three men 75 years of age get no exercise whatever. No wonder most people die in their 70’s! Naturally, trekker, I too like my sleep these days. Particularly after working out or a round of golf, I take a nap without guilt or shame. And I sleep the sleep of the redeemed, always.

Yes, yes, blessings and benefits of aging are all around us! We each one are here because God is not finished with us yet. As long as we are “present and accounted for,” God is at work so we can respond. Time is a luxury to us, not in its endless supply, but in the ever-present moment. Some priorities shift as we age. Yet, we can do joyfully and eagerly what we can and therefore, should do. In old age, we take less for granted, and we have learned (repeatedly) the downside of procrastination. We relish nature, quiet times and the reading of Scripture. Prayer becomes a by-product of meditation. We reflect, dream and can still create, often while taking a leisurely walk.

Another blessing of old age is younger folks cut you some slack! We are who we are, old and gray. Why not accept senior discounts? Our bumps and bruises suggest we’ve earned them. Yes, social graces cut us more slack as we age!

Old age can be a comfort zone, if we allow it to be. I chuckle at the folks finding difficulty fitting into their own skin (literally), judging from the numbers of oldsters in waiting, rushing out for surgical enhancement or the like. The comfort zone of age reveals more time to maintain the body God has given us, without obsession to “stay young.”

Finally, old age is the time we can shuck age-old insecurities and simply be ourselves, the divine original God made us to be. We can stop impressing. No power struggles or one-upmanship! Marriages mellow. Friend wife Barbara and I can finish each other’s sentences, know each other’s thoughts and have achieved a type of nirvana in terms of togetherness, particularly at almost 63 years and counting. Love songs, romance novels, Hallmark movies, all seek to convey what friend wife and I have every day. Age ripens and matures the relationship of marriage, we are convinced.

Younger trekker, you say, “Oh, Jim, this doesn’t apply to me. Remember, I’m the generation behind you!” I say, just wait, if you live long enough, you too will pass through the door of old age. When you do, enjoy the blessings God gives you.

Enjoying the freedom, blessings and benefits of old age, your trekker “older” brother,

Jim Meredith