A Beautiful Elder

"Do not cast me off in the time of old age; do not forsake me when my strength fails." (Psalm 71:9)

Personally, I don’t like it when young people like myself refer to the elderly as “old folks.” Nevertheless, as I meditated on today’s passage and titled this message “A Beautiful Elder,” I still wonder whether it's appropriate to call grandfathers and grandmothers “elders” or “old people” in Korean—I’m not entirely sure, given my limited command of the language.
My intention is simply to reflect on this passage using the expression "in the time of old age," just as the Bible does. My only hope is that the term “elder” (or “old person”) would not be hurtful to the hearts of our senior members.

What I do want to express is the beauty of our elders and consider, based on today’s Scripture, who is truly a beautiful elder in the sight of God. I’d like to explore three qualities, and in doing so, I too hope to become such a beautiful elder.

First, a beautiful elder depends on the Lord, who is our hope.

Look at Psalm 71:5:
"For You are my hope, O Lord God; You are my trust from my youth."
The psalmist grew up learning from the Lord from a young age (v.17). Because of this, he was able to rely on the Lord throughout his life. And as time passed, he leaned on the Lord even more (as sung in Hymn 342).
To him, the Lord was a strong refuge (v.7).
When his enemies—those who lay in wait for his soul—plotted together (v.10) and said, “God has forsaken him; pursue and seize him, for there is no one to deliver him” (v.11), the psalmist cried out:
"O God, do not be far from me; O my God, make haste to help me!" (v.12).
Those who trust in the Lord as their hope are the ones who pray to Him.

Isn’t the psalmist’s posture so beautiful? From his youth until his old age, even into his final years, he lived relying on the Lord, his constant hope. His life is an example we should follow.
When we, like the psalmist, go through "great and severe troubles" (v.20), we must trust in the God of hope all the more.
When we do so, the Lord will deliver us from our afflictions.
He will revive us again and bring us up from the depths of the earth (v.20).
An elder who continues to rely on the Lord more deeply with each passing year is beautiful in God’s sight.

Second, a beautiful elder declares the works of the Lord to future generations.

See Psalm 71:18:
"Now also when I am old and grayheaded, O God, do not forsake me, until I declare Your strength to this generation, Your power to everyone who is to come."
The psalmist wanted to declare the Lord’s strength and power to the next generation and to all who would come after.
He longed to proclaim “the mighty acts of the Lord God and [declare] only Your righteousness” (v.16).
His tongue spoke of God’s righteousness all day long (v.24).

Why? Because from his youth until his old age, as he trusted in the Lord, he had received the Lord’s immeasurable righteousness and salvation (v.15).
He could not help but share the Lord’s unfathomable grace with future generations.
So, he pleaded with God not to forsake him in old age until he had fulfilled this mission.

An elder who passes on the heritage of faith to their children and descendants is beautiful.
One who proclaims God’s grace, received through a lifetime of trusting in the Lord, is wise.
Rather than boasting of their own deeds, an elder who testifies of the great things God has done in their life is qualified to confess:
"By the grace of God, I am what I am" (1 Corinthians 15:10).

Third, a beautiful elder praises the Lord.

Look at Psalm 71:14:
"But I will hope continually, and will praise You yet more and more."
The psalmist, who trusted increasingly in the Lord as time went on, not only proclaimed God's mighty works in his life but also lifted up praise to the Lord.
His praise became deeper and more frequent as the years passed (v.14), and he praised the Lord always (v.6).
"My mouth is filled with Your praise and with Your glory all the day long" (v.8).
He praised the Lord with the harp, singing of His faithfulness (v.22), and praised the Holy One of Israel with the lyre (v.22).
As he praised, his lips shouted for joy, and the soul that God had redeemed rejoiced (v.23).

Let us also always hold onto hope and praise the Lord:

“For me He bore the heavy pain of the cross,
The grace of Jesus, who died in my place;
He shed His precious blood to save me from eternal death—
How can I not praise Him?”
(Hymn 403, verse 1)

Let our souls praise the greatness and majesty of our Lord (Hymn 40, refrain).
Until our final breath, may we draw nearer to Him with continual songs of praise (Hymn 464, verse 4 and refrain).

With thoughts of the beautiful elders of our church—beautiful in God’s sight—

Shared by Pastor James Kim
(After visiting a church deacon in the hospital)