…. even to your old age I am He, and to the gray hairs I will carry you!”  (Isa. 46:4)

I always count it a great privilege to mingle with young people, including the children.  “I usually talk to children”, Søren Kierkegaard said, “for I´m hopeful that they will grow up to become rational beings…” However, he could be horrified at those (rational adults) who were supposed to have reached that “mature” stage in life.  I like this striking piece of irony, and there´s a lot of truth to it.

However, there´s hope for elderly people also.  The word of God says so.  The weekly morning fellowship I went to during our recent stay in Clovis, CA, were with retired, good men.  More than once I went home from those edifying sessions encouraged and strengthened – and hopeful.

I spoke twice to a fellowship of elderly people in Fresno.  Again I couldn´t help feeling the warmth and strength of those uplifting moments around the word of God.  At a previous occasion in Clovis I also spoke to the little children of a so called pre-school.  That was a genuine thrill also.  And should the Lord permit us to fly over again, I´ll be determined to do that again!

If you read this and you happen to be old, take courage of the promise to old Naomi, once so disillusioned, frustrated and embittered in her soul, “He shall be to you a restorer of life and a nourisher of your old age” (Ruth 4:15).  The redeemer, referred to, pictures, of course, our great, risen Redeemer, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Is there something with you that needs to be restored?  He shall be to you a Restorer of life – implying that he is not going to store you away to be forgotten the rest of your life!  His way of restoring is not the world´s way of just a cheap, superficial “stop-gap-solution”.  Your old life, by His grace, will be a communicator of life and inspiration to the younger generation as Naomi´s life was from now on.

Are you encouraged?  I am at least.  And I trust you are too.

Næstved, Denmark, May 7, 2012 - jn