This week we are celebrating a very special group of people, SENIORS! Some people get a bit touchy when they are identified as a ‘senior’ because no one likes to see him or herself as “old” or be seen as old by others. Whether we are 50, 60, 70, 80 or even 90 plus, no one seems to enjoy the tag of being old. There is no doubt things can change dramatically health wise as we age and this can create many frustrations. The fact is that our physical life is declining, and signs of aging only serve to remind us of that reality, BUT there are blessings and benefits to becoming aged.

• Ageing gives the ability to grasp the bigger picture of life because one has had a lifetime of experience.
• Ageing helps to get ones priorities right and delivers from the folly of youth when mistakes are often made as we learn about life.
• Ageing allows one to reap the benefits of a life lived well for the Lord. There is much joy associated with reflecting upon a lifetime of Christian service.
• Ageing allows one to know oneself and to understand well one’s strengths, weaknesses and spiritual gifts.
• Ageing refines one’s convictions and helps to develop a sharper spiritual focus.

The list goes on, but perhaps the most important and exciting reality of ageing can be understood by thinking about an engaged couple. Over the last 12 months we have watched our daughter develop a relationship with a fine young man who is a Christian leader. It has been interesting and exciting over the months to watch their love develop and grow until they became engaged. Once engaged their relationship took a step forward in terms of the amount of time they have spent in each other’s company and the many hours of discussion and planning as they look forward, with great excitement, to their wedding day and their future life together. Every day from one hundred days ago Marella has informed us of how many days to her wedding!

It is natural and normal for any bride to be excited about her future marriage to her fiancé. What has this got to do with aging? As Christians our commitment to Jesus Christ is comparable to an engagement as we promise ourselves, by faith, to one Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. When we age we are moving closer to our being united to Christ and the wedding supper of the Lamb. Jesus is described in Scripture as the Bridegroom, the church as His bride. Human ageing means we are closer to seeing our Lord in all His heavenly glory and being forever in His presence. Can anything on earth compare with such an expectation? Of course not! So ageing is a time to rejoice, a time of final preparation to meet one’s Lord and Saviour and to see Him face to face! What an amazing expectation!!

So let me ask those who are seniors, are you excited about the reduction in time before you go to be with the Lord? Are you counting down the days, looking toward your entry into eternity with great expectation? Truly we are blessed to be called, truly we are blessed to be nearer to being with Jesus. As we age, our grip on this world should gradually be released until we reach the point of completely turning our affections away from this life and onto that which is truly life. Seniors you are blessed to be seniors!