25 I have been young, and now am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken or his children begging for bread. 26 He is ever lending generously, and his children become a blessing. (Psalm 37:25-26)
I believe that everything in the Christian faith can be boiled down to Psalm 37. It is bursting with the character of God and what is to be our response to a being so “wholly other”. David is able to fit more into forty verses than many pulpits are able to in a year of sermons. This deep intimacy with God was bought with struggle and built in mourning. Yet, here he is in the autumn years of a turbulent life declaring the faithfulness of his savior. Throughout the Psalm David declares God’s fidelity and generosity toward His children. Many times the kindness of God took the form of an obvious blessing – killing the giant. But all too often this kindness looked like abandonment – the loss of his child.
After many years connected to the great author of this world, David looks back with earned insight and says in no uncertain terms that the God of the universe favors His people. All too often in our society, we write off the older generation – essentially waiting for them to pass on. We no longer value their insight or experience. Sure, we listen to the occasional story of days past, but only if they’re interesting or quirky. In our own arrogance, we dismiss them. After all, they can’t work their iPad, how could they ever have wisdom for us to learn from? David would be in this category of people. As there is a rich history in Scripture of God working miracles through youth, there are just as many instances where God uses the senior aged believer to impact and bring healing to this fragmented world.
What a life to live – one committed to the Father of lights. Imagine a lifetime of experiences and heartbreaks and what they say about our Lord. What great depth and insight this would bring about to the younger believers struggling with life and faith.
Lord, may we live a full life of faith devoted to your way. May we too come to our last years and echo the thoughts of David that you have never given up on us and you truly worked together all of our broken experiences into something beautiful. Lord, come back soon.
Matt simon blog 