PREPARE FOR OLD AGE
1 Kings 1:1-4
It is difficult to imagine King David in the condition we meet him in today’s text. Is it not David? The one who fought the lion bare handed; who slew the bear that attacked the sheep under his care; who as a youth fought and killed Goliath; David who never lost any battle before and during his reign! Now he was old and stricken in years. He could not take decisions for himself. Others did for him. He could not even perform conjugal duties with a woman! Could this be David? Frail and helpless and bed ridden with age!
Wait a minute! Are you aware that if the Lord tarries at his coming, you will also grow old? Yes, no one prays to die young. If you don’t pray to die young, then you must start preparing for old age even from your youth. You must prepare on all fronts spiritually, physically, economically and martially. Let us take them one after another.
SPIRITUALLY: Work on your relationship with God at your tender age. Let your walk with him be as close as it could be. Make God your help, confidant, and everything. You will need relationship when you are old, Ecclesiastes 12:1-6) charges you to walk with and work for God in the days of your youth.
ECONOMICALLY: Build an economy that can sustain you in your old age. A righteous man leaves an inheritance for his children’s children. What will you leave if you can’t even sustain yourself? Begin to build economic structures that will not only sustain you in your life time but out live you.
PHYSICALLY: If a man will be healthy or otherwise in old age, it begins from the youth. What you eat, drink or smoke today will have a telling effect in the future. There are foods to avoid at certain ages, exercises to involve yourself in now that will keep you healthy in old age. Invest in these and you shall live well when the years come calling.
MARITALLY: No matter how many children you have and how loving they are sooner or later they will all leave you. Only your spouse will remain. Cultivate one another now before your nest becomes empty. If at old age you become strangers to one another, it is an invitation to loneliness and it kills fast.
SOCIALLY: You will need friends in your old age. Ba active in church and community. Be friendly with neighbours and be involved with them. They can be beautiful companions in your old age.
PRAYER: Psalm 71: 9
