What’s It Like to Live So Long?
Ephesians 1:15-22, 2:4-10
Over the last few weeks, I’ve read some interesting articles in the news about the oldest living people in our country. Such news has always drawn my attention; I like finding out about how people lived their lives and what their secrets to longevity might be! Many people say they’ve stayed physically active, eaten reasonably, and not been prone to worry very much. Another frequent common denominator is their faith in God. That got me to thinking about a friend I met back in seminary named Steve Ackerman. He shared a true account with me about the oldest saint in his congregation and I liked it so much I wrote down some notes. I searched for and found those notes, thanks in part to doing some COVID sorting and organizing during the last year! Like many of you, I’ve discarded what doesn’t much matter but have gleaned some true treasures along the way.
“What’s it like to live so long?” said Steve. His parishioner was 87 years old; his hair was thin and gray, his face wrinkled by the years and he had some loss of hearing. But his eyes were bright and intelligent, and his faith as strong and real as anyone Steve had ever met.
The soft-spoken man leaned forward a bit and said, “That’s not an easy sort of question to answer, to sum up what it’s like to live so long! Maybe from your vantage point my years seem long - and I admit there are days, especially when my back is bothering me and my arthritis acts up, that I feel like I’ve lived too long. But in my heart, it’s not been long at all. In fact, it has not been long enough.
“If you’re looking for a simple sort of answer, I don’t have one. I used to just offer up my first answer, feeling it was pretty good. But these days I take time to consider things more carefully. I’ve changed for the better, I like to think. In particular I’ve realized that questions might have more than one answer. So, if you can stay here a while, I’ll do my best to tell you ‘what it’s like to live so long’!
“Here’s the one I started to take to heart when I became a grandfather. I learned the importance of savoring each day’s experiences. There are plenty of small things that God hopes we’ll notice and delight in every day. Babies do that really well; they look around wide-eyed with wonder and curiosity. We adults are so busy we don’t sit still often enough, but when we do, we should really take in all we see - the colors and smells, the sounds and sensations all around us. There are things we can relish every day, not just waiting until it’s the weekend or a vacation or a holiday. I no longer rush around, and guess what: I still manage to get done what I need to each day.
“And if I have an occasion to go out and order my favorite meal at a restaurant, I let my plate sit there so I can breathe in the rich aroma, so my mouth waters. I especially pay attention to my first bite of everything because my taste buds still work pretty good, and I appreciate the full flavors of my meal. Age has given me that good gift of slowing down and savoring the simple things in life.
“There are plenty of other things to savor once that becomes your mindset. Like receiving a carefully written letter from a young grandchild, or getting a phone call from someone I love. Many a time I’ve sat in the dim light of a late afternoon evening in my recliner, filled with the warmth of my family and loved ones. Even though they are not present, their love is, their memory is, and that is enough to fill my heart to overflowing.
“I wish someone had told me about slowing down and savoring when I was a much younger man. I think we benefit when develop the habit of savoring God‘s gifts and His goodness. Gratitude is now a lens I use to look at my life and everything in it. The result is that I feel blessed every day, because my small joys add up to a whole lot of contentment.
“A second thing I’ve gained through the decades is the ability to deeply trust in God. I’ve read through my Bible more than once and have been in church each time I’ve been well enough to get there. I’ve gained head knowledge about God in those ways and through Bible studies; those things have helped me know how to be a solid Christian, to live as a genuine disciple. But here’s the rub: all that I heard about had to be put into action. Come Monday morning I had to make choices based on what I learned from the Bible on Sunday. Putting my faith into practice each day, then each year and decade, was how I went from having a small faith to one that is deep and wide.
“Not everyone comes to a place of strong faith and trust in God. Some start off like a seed newly planted, but they never get rooted. A seed person feels pretty amazed to hear about how much God loves them. They like the idea that God’s watching over them and wants to answer their prayers, and that when they die there is the sweet promise of a very special place being prepared for them in heaven. What doesn’t appeal to them is any talk about making changes in their lives. They dislike someone saying they need to turn away from old habits that hurt them, sins that separate them from God’s good plans for their future. That sort of seed faith is shallow; it only wants what’s easy. Rather than mature and thrive, it comes to an end.
“There’s another sort of thing that can happen that can stop people from growing strong in their faith. There can be a crisis, something hard and painful that makes a person question where God is and why God isn’t righting the wrongs they or their loved ones are experiencing. Christians do know that tragedies strike the innocent and the guilty - we understand that from a safe distance. But when it looms large right in front of them, they get scared, maybe angry, or they lose all hope. God knows we have our limits; for a while we can be undone, but then we lift up our heads and we can also lift up our hearts to God and ask for all the help and comfort we need as we wrestle with our pain. Many do that, and are sustained, coming to understand that God is for us, never against us; but others in a similar situation stay knocked down because they try to recover on their own. Most people can notice the difference between those two scenarios pretty easily.
“All I can say is that I live one day at a time, and God gives me what I need as I need it. Me and mine have moved through times of sickness and good health; we’ve had serious losses and times of plenty, we got hurt by people and we healed up. This actually leads me into one final thing I’ve experienced, but it took me most of my life to get here.
“I’m almost afraid to explain this to you because it may sound too presumptuous, but I trust you know me well enough by now not to think that of me. You know the reverence and awe of God I’ve had in me over the years. You know how precious Jesus is to me. I am finding there are more and more moments when I feel a deep closeness to God, almost as if we are one. I never could have imagined saying such a thing when I was your age.
“I think this has come about because I have a lot more time to spend with God here in my home than I did when I was younger. I spend my days in prayer and then in silence; I take time to read my Bible and then open myself to God’s message for my life found in its pages. Every day I feel God is my trusted friend and closest confidant; He’s been my lifelong companion who has searched the depths of my soul on so many occasions. God knows me better than anyone else. And through it all, God’s love has been a constant, an amazing gift in my life. I was just thinking recently about how I think I could face great physical pain or wrenching emotional sorrow - and do it with grace and hope because of God’s love that surrounds me. The best way to put this is to say I’ve been slowly emptied, and God has filled me up to the brim.”
Wow! Isn’t this an amazing account from a man who has known God for many years? I find his insights to be inspirational! He is a humble man who has walked closely with God. This coming week I want to challenge you to seek out one or more people who are older saints. Consider Christians you have known and respected; take time to ask them what God has taught them over the decades of their life. There is wisdom there to be discovered, and joys to be shared. And if you are inclined, take some notes. Thanks be to God! Amen.
“What’s it like to live so long?” said Steve. His parishioner was 87 years old; his hair was thin and gray, his face wrinkled by the years and he had some loss of hearing. But his eyes were bright and intelligent, and his faith as strong and real as anyone Steve had ever met.
The soft-spoken man leaned forward a bit and said, “That’s not an easy sort of question to answer, to sum up what it’s like to live so long! Maybe from your vantage point my years seem long - and I admit there are days, especially when my back is bothering me and my arthritis acts up, that I feel like I’ve lived too long. But in my heart, it’s not been long at all. In fact, it has not been long enough.
“If you’re looking for a simple sort of answer, I don’t have one. I used to just offer up my first answer, feeling it was pretty good. But these days I take time to consider things more carefully. I’ve changed for the better, I like to think. In particular I’ve realized that questions might have more than one answer. So, if you can stay here a while, I’ll do my best to tell you ‘what it’s like to live so long’!
“Here’s the one I started to take to heart when I became a grandfather. I learned the importance of savoring each day’s experiences. There are plenty of small things that God hopes we’ll notice and delight in every day. Babies do that really well; they look around wide-eyed with wonder and curiosity. We adults are so busy we don’t sit still often enough, but when we do, we should really take in all we see - the colors and smells, the sounds and sensations all around us. There are things we can relish every day, not just waiting until it’s the weekend or a vacation or a holiday. I no longer rush around, and guess what: I still manage to get done what I need to each day.
“And if I have an occasion to go out and order my favorite meal at a restaurant, I let my plate sit there so I can breathe in the rich aroma, so my mouth waters. I especially pay attention to my first bite of everything because my taste buds still work pretty good, and I appreciate the full flavors of my meal. Age has given me that good gift of slowing down and savoring the simple things in life.
“There are plenty of other things to savor once that becomes your mindset. Like receiving a carefully written letter from a young grandchild, or getting a phone call from someone I love. Many a time I’ve sat in the dim light of a late afternoon evening in my recliner, filled with the warmth of my family and loved ones. Even though they are not present, their love is, their memory is, and that is enough to fill my heart to overflowing.
“I wish someone had told me about slowing down and savoring when I was a much younger man. I think we benefit when develop the habit of savoring God‘s gifts and His goodness. Gratitude is now a lens I use to look at my life and everything in it. The result is that I feel blessed every day, because my small joys add up to a whole lot of contentment.
“A second thing I’ve gained through the decades is the ability to deeply trust in God. I’ve read through my Bible more than once and have been in church each time I’ve been well enough to get there. I’ve gained head knowledge about God in those ways and through Bible studies; those things have helped me know how to be a solid Christian, to live as a genuine disciple. But here’s the rub: all that I heard about had to be put into action. Come Monday morning I had to make choices based on what I learned from the Bible on Sunday. Putting my faith into practice each day, then each year and decade, was how I went from having a small faith to one that is deep and wide.
“Not everyone comes to a place of strong faith and trust in God. Some start off like a seed newly planted, but they never get rooted. A seed person feels pretty amazed to hear about how much God loves them. They like the idea that God’s watching over them and wants to answer their prayers, and that when they die there is the sweet promise of a very special place being prepared for them in heaven. What doesn’t appeal to them is any talk about making changes in their lives. They dislike someone saying they need to turn away from old habits that hurt them, sins that separate them from God’s good plans for their future. That sort of seed faith is shallow; it only wants what’s easy. Rather than mature and thrive, it comes to an end.
“There’s another sort of thing that can happen that can stop people from growing strong in their faith. There can be a crisis, something hard and painful that makes a person question where God is and why God isn’t righting the wrongs they or their loved ones are experiencing. Christians do know that tragedies strike the innocent and the guilty - we understand that from a safe distance. But when it looms large right in front of them, they get scared, maybe angry, or they lose all hope. God knows we have our limits; for a while we can be undone, but then we lift up our heads and we can also lift up our hearts to God and ask for all the help and comfort we need as we wrestle with our pain. Many do that, and are sustained, coming to understand that God is for us, never against us; but others in a similar situation stay knocked down because they try to recover on their own. Most people can notice the difference between those two scenarios pretty easily.
“All I can say is that I live one day at a time, and God gives me what I need as I need it. Me and mine have moved through times of sickness and good health; we’ve had serious losses and times of plenty, we got hurt by people and we healed up. This actually leads me into one final thing I’ve experienced, but it took me most of my life to get here.
“I’m almost afraid to explain this to you because it may sound too presumptuous, but I trust you know me well enough by now not to think that of me. You know the reverence and awe of God I’ve had in me over the years. You know how precious Jesus is to me. I am finding there are more and more moments when I feel a deep closeness to God, almost as if we are one. I never could have imagined saying such a thing when I was your age.
“I think this has come about because I have a lot more time to spend with God here in my home than I did when I was younger. I spend my days in prayer and then in silence; I take time to read my Bible and then open myself to God’s message for my life found in its pages. Every day I feel God is my trusted friend and closest confidant; He’s been my lifelong companion who has searched the depths of my soul on so many occasions. God knows me better than anyone else. And through it all, God’s love has been a constant, an amazing gift in my life. I was just thinking recently about how I think I could face great physical pain or wrenching emotional sorrow - and do it with grace and hope because of God’s love that surrounds me. The best way to put this is to say I’ve been slowly emptied, and God has filled me up to the brim.”
Wow! Isn’t this an amazing account from a man who has known God for many years? I find his insights to be inspirational! He is a humble man who has walked closely with God. This coming week I want to challenge you to seek out one or more people who are older saints. Consider Christians you have known and respected; take time to ask them what God has taught them over the decades of their life. There is wisdom there to be discovered, and joys to be shared. And if you are inclined, take some notes. Thanks be to God! Amen.