Psalm 71:9 says, “Cast me not off in the time of old age; forsake me not when my strength faileth.”
I love the Gaither song, “Plenty of Room in the Family.” The phrases, “room for the young and the old” and “plenty of love to go round” paint a picture of how the church ought to be. I’m glad the church made room for me and loved me.
I remember as a teenager when it was time for testimonies, that “old” brother Mott would stand up and share how the Lord had been so good to him. He wore a plain shirt, jeans and suspenders. I knew he would get up every time. I hung on every word he said—I wanted to be like him.
I remember when I was younger and in another church, there was a man we called, “Old Joe.” He raised a garden and would bring vegetables to church. He always made sure my mother got some. Then there was Robert Sturtevant. I wasn’t in his church, but knew he raised chickens and gave eggs away. He would give someone he met a dozen eggs and tell them if they came to church the next Sunday he would give them another dozen. He called it his “lay” ministry.
Children are sometimes looked at as the church of tomorrow. Old people are often looked at as the church of the past. I would say that both are the church of the present. The “church under the pew” is looking up to the church in the pew. It is sad when any age group is neglected. There is plenty of room at the altar for the young and the old. The family of God is not complete without both. It is a mistake to look for a church because it has children the age of ours. Maybe our children need a grandparent figure in their life.
I want us to consider for a moment another category in the church—the shut-in. They could be living alone at home or in a nursing home. Their church is often the radio or television. They have a worn-out Bible. The house has a unique odor. The pastor rarely calls on them. They may have a Christian friend or family member who stays in touch with them.
This was the case of Wilma. She was on oxygen and had to use a walker. She lived at home. Her family was close to her. My mother was her connection to the church. Mom asked me if I would call on her. I pastored another church. Mom said her pastor didn’t have time to call on her. I knew her pastor was a good shepherd, but somehow Wilma had slipped through the cracks.
The first time I went to call on Wilma a miracle happened. When I came in she told me that her family might soon be taking her to the hospital. She was terribly constipated. She hadn’t gone for days. It was very serious. I said, “Let’s pray.” I had prayed only a few sentences when she interrupted me, “Excuse me pastor, l’ll be back in a minute.” She barely made it to the bathroom in time to totally unload. When she got back we both laughed and praised God. Hardly did I know that this little old lady would be the one used by God to bring my Daddy back to the Lord.
Psalm 71:18 states, “Now also when I am old and greyheaded, O God, forsake me not; until I have shewed thy strength unto this generation, and thy power to every one that is to come.” A very powerful part of the present-day church is the often neglected shut-in who has come to know “old age.”
