Day 22: Together for Seniors

We see from these verses that God values longevity of serving. In today’s world, that can create a dilemma. We must guard ourselves so that we don’t lose the spiritual value of seniors while we focus on the next generation as well.

Now this is a critical reality, because Singapore has now crossed into the super-aged classification.

That means we need to wake up to the realisation: We need all believers flourishing, bearing fruit from the young and to those who are now a little older. That may be you right along with me.

That means we need to rise up. We need to release the next generation. But at the same time, we need to empower our seniors also, because they will still bear fruit – that’s God’s desire.

They will stay fresh and green. They will live a blessed, purpose-filled life in every season of their journey.

Now, the Psalms have just declared that when you flourish, it’s just the opposite of decline. So, seniors, you need to stop disqualifying yourself, stop devaluing the gifts God has put inside of you for His glory.

We cannot neglect nor lose the wisdom, the testimonies, the insights of our older members of the Church, because if we do, it’s like discarding or throwing away our heritage.

Seniors have endured hardship. They have endured trials of their faith, spiritual battles in their day, but all of these can provide valuable lessons for us today, because to understand our spiritual history as a nation can strengthen our future and strengthen the next generation.

Seniors, today, you may not have the same physical energy because of illness or maybe injury, but even if you cannot run like you used to or jump like before, you can still bombard Heaven with prayers that can cause the devil to tremble.

In reality, we all need to wake up to a new realisation. Together, we need to mobilise and train our seniors to become active in evangelism, active to share their faith, knowing their value, knowing their worth.

Because seniors, we have value. God has given us value. We have a part to play in reaping the harvest! We can reach the aging population much better than the younger generation.

Seniors understand seniors. We understand their hopes, their disappointments, their loneliness, their dreams, their fears, even their frustrations. Therefore, we need an army of empowered seniors who will rise up together, leading us into a season of reaching the delayed harvest.

We all have a tendency to put things into a series of choices. We have to choose our focus – either focus on young people or focus on seniors. So we kind of frame our thinking into “either/or” choices.

But I say, why don’t we ask ourselves, “Why not both?” Why do we have to choose between? That means we need every believer serving God in your assigned area of spiritual giftedness.

We can’t neglect the larger part of our resources that are in our churches, because God has not put an expiration date on their calling.

The reality is, it’s easier to put an expiration date on seniors than it is to actually sit down and answer the question: “What do we do with our seniors? How do we engage them?”

Friends, I’m calling on all of us to really join together, to not ignore the opportunity that is before us.

As an example, last year at one of our conferences that was for those people who are 60 and above, we were breaking off all mindsets, breaking off the hurts of being ignored and useless, and restoring God’s worth and calling.

During the last altar call of that meeting, a very nicely-dressed older lady came up to me, and she asked me to pray for her. As I reached out and took her hands, she looked at me with big tears in her eyes – she was weeping – and she said: “Pray for me, because I feel called to be a missionary.”

Praise the Lord! She has the time, she has the money, she has Jesus in her heart, she’s filled with a desire to reach those that need Jesus. Everyone, together we can make a difference.

Don’t disqualify yourself. It takes real, intentional lifestyle to pass real faith through the generations, both young and old. We need to be learning, growing and serving together. Seniors, we must pass on a powerful, faith-filled relationship with God to the next generation.

Live it out with humility and honour. Because God desires that you will still bear fruit in old age. You will stay fresh and green, because we are together for seniors.

Let’s pray.

Heavenly Father. I thank You today that as we come together for this nation of Singapore, that no one is left behind. Everyone has value, everyone has worth. Everyone has a calling and a purpose that You have put on their lives.

May the young people not miss it. May they step up. But we as seniors, may we not lag behind and say: “It’s time for us to step back”. God, may we, as seniors, anointed of your Holy Spirit, rise up and come together and alongside, so that together we can make an impact in this nation.

We ask all of this in Jesus’ name, in faith, believing for a turnaround miracle in that name above every name – the name of Jesus, Amen.