psalms 37:25

Through it All… Psalm 37:25

Psalm 37:25 NRSV

25 I have been young, and now am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread.

We have set aside today to honor the senior adults within our congregation. As we strive to honor them today, I want to express my gratitude and love for this special group. You don’t have to be around Fellowship long to notice the contributions they make on a regular basis. They remain active and an integral part of our church. As the pastor here, I am always encouraged and challenged by their faithful service to the Lord and His church. If there is one group I know I can always count on, it is the senior adults! Sadly, I believe my generation, and those who have followed me, have lost much of what this generation possesses. We would do well to learn from them and strive to imitate their faithfulness and sacrificial service to the church. As with the prophet of old, we need those who are prepared to pick up the mantle and carry on as these have for so many years. I felt led to share this one verse today as we consider the faithfulness of our seniors and the many blessings they have enjoyed during their years of service to the Lord. I mean no disrespect through our text verse, but hope to challenge us to better understand the faith they possess as we strive to obtain a similar faith. Let’s examine the considerations of David as we consider the thought: Through it All… I. David Remembered the Past (25a) – I have been young, and now am old. It is apparent that David had considered his past, while contemplating his life. This simple statement reveals much. We find that David considered: A. The Time – It is evident David pondered the time that had passed. He thought back over his life, remembering the days of his youth, and yet he realized those days had swiftly passed. He now stood in what is often referred to as the “golden years.”  I don’t think David was sad as he pondered the time that had passed. I honestly believe he was thankful for the life God had blessed him with. Being a man of war, he had seen many die in battle, much younger than his current age. David knew length of days were a blessing from the Lord.  I am sure our seniors can identify with the words of David. In fact, most of us can. The older we get, the faster time passes. When we have a moment to reflect, we wonder how the years have passed so quickly. James 4:14 – Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. Again that is no P a s t o r Chris Benf ield, Fel lowship Missionary Baptist Church Page 1 May 22, 2016 reason for sadness. Many of you have been blessed with a long life and you have made good use of your time for the Lord. If you have enjoyed a long life, lived for the Lord, you have been blessed beyond measure! B. The Travel (25a) – I have been young, and now am old. The text doesn’t say, but it is not beyond reason to assume David likely pondered the path he had traveled on his journey of life. He likely thought of the nights tending sheep as a young boy, or the day Samuel called for him as he was anointed king over Israel. He couldn’t have forgotten the great victory over Goliath, or the many victories God had provided over the years. There had also been seasons of defeat and great pain. No doubt David never forgot the sin with Bathsheba or the death of their first child. He likely pondered the rebellion and death of Absalom, and the loss of close friends along the way. Life had produced seasons of great joy and immense pain. There had been many ordinary days along the way as well, but through it all, God had been good.  All of us can relate to such thought, but I am sure it increases as we age. We all experience a varied path as we travel through life. Hopefully we all remember the day of our salvation. That day remains vivid in my memory. We have all enjoyed seasons of triumph and victory, and yet there have been seasons of adversity and pain. Our seniors likely remember fond memories such as their wedding day, their first home, or the birth of children and grandchildren, and a host of other blessings. No doubt they have experienced the pain of losing a loved one and dealing with life that is never the same. Our lives are a mixed bag, but through it all, God is faithful! C. The Transition (25a) – I have been young, and now am old. Somewhere along the way a transition took place in David’s life. He had once enjoyed the days of his youth, but now he had aged in life. I am sure he was like all others, just busy living life, and this transition happened. Days turned into weeks, weeks into years, and eventually years into a lifetime of decades. The change wasn’t noticeable as it happened daily, but over the years a transition took place.  That is simply the natural progression in life. We transition from childhood to adolescence, to adulthood, and then middle age, finally reaching our senior years. Those weeks turn into years and years become a lifetime of experiences and memories.  Apart from Christ this would be quite depressing. If death were all we had to look forward to, our lives would be miserable. Thankfully for those who are saved by grace, there will be another transition as we depart this life and enter the presence of our Redeemer and Lord. Life is but a vapor here, but the saved will enjoy an eternal day with the Lord in heaven! P a s t o r Chris Benf ield, Fel lowship Missionary Baptist Church Page 2 May 22, 2016 II. David Rejoiced in Provision (25b) – I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken. As David pondered his life, he rejoiced in the provision of the Lord. Consider: A. The Blessing – David proclaimed he had never seen the righteous forsaken. Through it all, God had been faithful to provide for them. He had met their needs, providing daily as they lived their lives. Often these blessings went unnoticed, but even then God was faithful. He had provided for David and others without fail.  I am sure our seniors can identify with these words. Our culture has changed much over the years. While I admit much of it has not been for the better, I also know our seniors have faced struggles the rest of us can’t understand. In the moments of uncertainty, God proved Himself faithful. No doubt we all would have to admit that God has been good to us, providing daily for our needs. He will never leave nor forsake us! Phil.1:6 – Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ. B. The Basis – David declared that he had never seen the righteous forsaken. That isn’t to say God hadn’t blessed those who denied Him. We know it rains on the just and the unjust alike. Every blessing that man enjoys, whether they are saved or lost, are the result of God’s grace. However, those apart from the Lord can’t claim the promises of the redeemed. David knew and experienced the value of a relationship with the Lord.  I am sure our seniors could testify to the goodness of God in their lives over the years. It is no accident or mere luck that they have been blessed as they have. The God they serve chose to bless them according to His good grace. We don’t serve the Lord for the blessings we receive, but they are enjoyable when they come. It does pay to serve the Lord. Our seniors are a living testimony of that great truth. C. The Beauty (25b) – I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken. David had lived a long life. He admits that he is now an old man, and yet through all of those years, he had never seen the righteous forsaken. God had remained faithful through it all. There were times in David’s life, and even in the lives of others, when they rebelled against God and walked contrary to His ways. Even then, God had not forsaken His people.  I do not say that to encourage sin, but to emphasis the faithfulness of God. As you look back over your life, regardless of the time you have lived, you will have to agree that God has been faithful through it all. Even when we were undeserving, He remained faithful. Knowing our faults and failures, Christ died in our place to save from sin and reconcile to God! P a s t o r Chris Benf ield, Fel lowship Missionary Baptist Church Page 3 May 22, 2016 III. David Reflected on Prosperity (25c) – I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread. Bear in mind that David is king over all Israel, and yet his view of prosperity is much different than one would expect. He reflected on: A. The Supply – David declared he had never seen a time when the families of the righteous were without bread. Even in times of difficulty and drought, God had provided bread for His people. There was always a sufficient supply from the good hand of the Lord.  Surely we all would have to agree that God has met our needs as well. This certainly applies to our seniors, but it isn’t reserved for them alone. God is faithful to meet the needs of the redeemed. Phil.4:19 – But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. As I pondered the faithfulness of God regarding bread, I was reminded of the Bread of life we have received in Christ. There was a time in my life when I was hungry, literally starving for righteous acceptance to God. I had no way of obtaining the supply I needed, but thankfully the Lord had already supplied my need. He satisfies that spiritual hunger as well. B. The Satisfaction – David rejoiced he had not seen the seed of the righteous begging for bread. He was thankful for the goodness of the Lord. God had been faithful to supply their needs. He was not focused on the wealth and prosperity sought my many. He was satisfied with what God had provided. Surely he enjoyed the best the land had to offer, but he wasn’t focused on the riches of this life. He was interested in the blessings of God.  That is one thing I greatly appreciate and admire in our seniors. Many today feel as if they have to have the latest of everything to enjoy life. They can’t appreciate what they do have because they are always disappointed about lacking something else. If we never received another blessing in this life, we have already been given more than we deserve. God provided for our salvation through the sacrifice of His Son. He daily meets our needs and many of our wants. What more could we ask for? C. The Significance (25c) – I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread. The faithfulness of God to the righteous had made a significant impact on their children as well. The children enjoyed the blessings of God bestowed upon their parents. I am sure all didn’t notice or appreciate it, but many were influenced in their walk with the Lord because of their parents’ relationship with Him. The adult generation passed on their faith and commitment to the Lord to coming generations. P a s t o r Chris Benf ield, Fel lowship Missionary Baptist Church Page 4 May 22, 2016  There can be no doubt that our seniors contribute much to our church. We would have a difficult time in ministry if they were not with us. Of all they share, I appreciate their wisdom and faithfulness most of all. I have gleaned much from these saints of God. They have taught me much and challenged my walk with the Lord. They have much to share, and are willing to invest in those who will make it a priority to spend some time with them. I know that our culture is changing, and we have to make adjustments along the way, but we cannot afford to lose what our seniors possess. Just because something isn’t brand new, doesn’t mean it is worthless. We would do well to receive all we can from these who have so much to offer! Conclusion: David enjoyed much throughout his life, and all of it was a result of God’s grace and favor. Our seniors have been blessed abundantly as well. In fact, we all have been blessed beyond measure. I am thankful for the many blessings I have received from the good hand of God. He has been faithful through it all. If you are here today, you are blessed. God has given you another day of life. He has blessed you with a measure of health and allowed you to attend this service. Do you know Christ as your personal Savior? Have you received the greatest blessing of all – salvation in Christ? If not, I urge you to respond to His call for salvation today. Maybe someone here has been a great blessing and help in your life. Have you told them how much you appreciate them? Maybe you have, but it has been a while. Why not let them know how much you appreciate their faithfulness?