Prayer for the Times of Old Age

Bible Study #759- Church in the Houses Tuesday, February 5-11, 2013

Topic: “Prayer for the Times of Old Age” Psalm 71:1-9 One says: It will never arrive! I will never be old of age! But here, in this psalm, we have the prayer of an old believer that with a holy confidence and with notable experience appeals against his enemies and requests blessings for him, assuring a merciful response. At the same time he promises to exalt the Lord in a great manner. We can see that there is prayer and communion with God continuously in his life. I assure you that if now in your early age you do not do this in that same way, you will weaken in your faith and in your enthusiasm. Therefore, seek Him while you can, seek God your Lord, who is the bearer of life and of every perfect gift. He is the rock where we can take refuge. Psalm 71:3 “Be my rock of refuge, to which I can always go.” If you look around you nowadays everything you see is evil and ugly, what you see produces in you pain and discouragement and there seems to be no hope that something good could happen. But, what we do, just as the psalmist, is to look at the rock and take refuge there. The psalmist continues to say in Psalm 7:3 “GIVE THE COMMAND TO SAVE ME.” It is a command given by God to save us from all evil that comes to threaten us to harm us. With the mandate given by God destruction cannot destroy us; hunger cannot terminate us; we laugh about both when as God’s command protects us. WE WILL AGE IN CONFIDENCE AND PROTECTED BY THE ONE WHO CARES FOR US AND LOVES US! An “order” is what is given from a superior to his subordinates to be obeyed. And God has given that order, that mandate or command to save us from all danger and evil. Psalm 71:4 “Deliver me Oh my God, from the hand of the wicked, from the grasp of evil and cruel men.” A cruel man is full of hatred, he hates the truth and manifests enmity against God and therefore, violently opposes his nation. God delivers us from such great enemy, of the cruel enemy that either you or I can liberate ourselves from his great poisonous tongues. “For you have been my hope, O Sovereign Lord, my confidence since my youth.” Christ our God is the hope of glory. We expect nothing from what God has created; nothing of what God could give us besides Himself, no glory created or blessing or riches, we only expect directly from Him. From whom we expect is only from our own redeeming God. He gives us His love, His blessing; we participate of the joy of the same Lord, who has loved us to be our joy and our portion forever. Look well and distinguish what is it that makes you cry, what drives you to become frustrated, what makes you complaint and realize that in essence that is not what is important in your life, but rather what is important is that God is with you, and He has given commandments to save you. He is your assurance since your youth. Someone said with reason “The youth well employed is the greatest consolation for the old age.” Polycarp was a martyr who lived in the first centuries of the Christian age and was an exemplary old believer in his testimony of love to Christ, his Savior. When the Roman proconsul ordered Polycarp to deny Christ and to swear to the emperor, the martyr responded: “I have served Christ for eighty-six years and I have no complaint against Him, and now, am I going to deny Him? “I have become like a portent to many, but you are my strong refuge.” The saints, the faithful believers of the Lord are men who people admire; his dark aspect is so austere and simple that it amazes, and his life and testimony is so brilliant and so glorious that it leaves everyone astonished. The faithful believer to God is an enigma; those who are not spiritual cannot find an explanation or words to explain it. The faithful believer to God during his years of life as a walker or traveler in this world is and will be a monster in a standing war against the pleasures of the flesh. Yes, against those pleasures of the flesh which is everything for the rest of the men. That fidelity, testimony and sincere communion with God is an unexplainable prodigy to the judgment of the impious, it is a feared astonishment, but after all despised and mocked. Many understand us and are surprised at us. Psalm 71:8 “My mouth is filled with your praise, declaring your splendor all day long.” What a mouthful so blessed! We never get tired of worshiping Him. His taste is constantly in our mouths. God’s bread is always in our mouth; we should do the same with the worship, may it always be in our mouth to exalt Him. He fills us with wealth, then, let us also be replete with gratitude. By doing this there is no space left for gossiping. When our mouths are not filled with praise but rather with gossip it is because there is hatred and disputes against others. When we have His blessings our mouths are filled of great praises for our Creator. He is the one who has made wonders in our lives since our youth until our old age. That is why, we will always be at His side rejoicing in His presence and with our mouths full of praises, thanking Him for everything and because…. HE HAS GIVEN COMMANDMENTS TO SAVE US! Amen.