One Application of the Concept of Training in Righteousness

Some years ago I wrote two short pieces: Aging While Christian and Aging Gracefully and Gratefully. Then recently, our pastor spent two weeks on Psalm 71 and other appropriate passages.
Our notes from his messages follow, as well as  my vintage pieces.

I connect these, as all pertain to aging as believers.

My notes on Psalm 71 state it deals with the concerns of old age, the reality of life, seeing trials through seasoned eyes.

Knowing the true, tested faithfulness of God, the psalmist is facing yet another difficulty. Having experienced God's loyal love, he turns to God when again encountering enemies. We are not exempt from trials any more than the psalmist was.

We need to have a settled principle of life, confidence in our refuge/rock/fortress, to deal with situations one by one, turning toward and trusting God. God is faithful. Our settled faith is based on the nature of God. We need to do deep spiritual thinking in anticipation.

Our pastor commented on the importance of our being able to do as the psalmist here, to say as the psalmist: "For You are my hope, O Lord God, You are my confidence from my youth. By You I have been sustained from my birth; You are He who took me from my mother's womb; my praise is continually of You" (71:5-6; NASB).

We need to begin trusting truly in Him from our youth, developing over time the trust of the psalmist, who also declares: "O God, You have taught me from my youth, and I will still declare Your wondrous deeds" (71:17; NASB).

Then when we are older and face difficulties, as surely we will, it is with confidence in His proven faithfulness that we can cry out: "Do not cast me out in the time of old age; do not forsake me when my strength fails," knowing He will not fail us (71:9; NASB).

Even as the psalmist was aging, he still faced enemies, as will we. What is our response?

"But as for me, I will hope continually, and I will praise You yet more and more. My mouth shall tell of your righteousness and of Your salvation all day long; for I do not know the sum of them. I will come with the mighty deeds of the Lord GOD; I will make mention of Your righteousness, Yours alone" (71:14-16; NASB).

If we have experienced His faithfulness, as the psalmist did, we will say as he did: "You who have shown me many troubles and distresses, will revive me again, and will bring me up from the depths of the earth.... I will also praise You with a harp, even Your truth, O my God; to You I will sing praises with the lyre, O Holy One of Israel. My lips will shout with joy when I sing praises to You; and my soul, which You have redeemed" (71:20, 22-23; NASB).

And from another sermon by Pastor Don Green, "As the People of God Age" (my husband Garry took notes). We need to be on the path to get to the end, to be prepared for challenges and for opportunities, meeting challenges with faith. Believers are not exempt from aging, and have to deal with things in weakness. We may not have an easy retirement; not entitled to ease at any time in life, c.f. John 16:33. Meeting opportunities with faith; don't stop running the race before you finish the race. Time to step up and have influence and pass on knowledge and experience, c.f. Prov. 16:31. Older believers can know God has been faithful, c.f. 1 Cor. 15:58.

Aging While Christian (English Standard Version Scripture references)--a vintage piece

Psalm 92:12-15: "The righteous flourish like the palm trees and grow like a cedar in Lebanon. They are planted in the house of the LORD; they flourish in the courts of our God. They still bear fruit in old age; they are ever full of sap and green, to declare that the LORD is upright; he is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him."

2 Corinthians 4:7-10: "But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies."

2 Corinthians 4:16-5:9: ""So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being  renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen, but to the things which are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things which are unseen are eternal.

For we know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this tent we groan, longing to put on our heavenly dwelling, if indeed by putting it on we may not be found naked. For while we are still in this tent, we groan, being burdened--not that we would be unclothed, but that we would be further clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who has given us the Spirit as a guarantee.

So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, for we walk by faith, not by sight. Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord. So whether we are at home of away, we make it our aim to please him."

Aging gracefully and gratefully--a second vintage piece

"Aging gracefully" seems to mean adapting to changes in our bodies--or someone else's.

Aging gracefully is more than a physical thing for believers.

Aging gracefully means aging within the grace of God; holding fast to the Father with both hands--trust and obedience; holding fast to the Word in flesh and the Word in print; holding fast to the Spirit who holds fast to us--our seal of present and future glorification (Christ-likeness).

"Aging gratefully" means facing the truth of His Word and embracing it (here I quoted 2 Corinthians 4:16-5:9; see that in previous piece.)