Honouring those who are ‘full of sap and green’

We often comment on how much some people manage to pack into a relatively short life. We think of people like Henry Martyn, the missionary to India and Persia who died at the age of 31, or the Scottish minister, Robert Murray McCheyne, who died of tuberculosis when just 29 but whose life and ministry continues to be a challenge to us all.

But without taking anything away from these men, what I find even more remarkable is not what some have achieved in running what we might call a sprint, but what others continue to accomplish in what is more of a marathon. The Psalmist speaks of the righteous who “still bear fruit in old age; they are full of sap and green” (Ps.92v14).

Think of Moses and Aaron who, aged 80 and 83 respectively, began their life’s calling in bringing the Israelites out of Egypt. Think of Joshua and Caleb in their 80s, taking on new challenges. Daniel was over 80 when he was thrown in the lions’ den and received the visions that make up the second part of his prophecy. Zechariah and Elizabeth were both, according to Luke 1v7, “advanced in years” when their son John the Baptist was born. Simeon and Anna, in Luke 2, were both elderly and Anna appears to have been at least 84. Paul describes himself to his friend Philemon as “an old man”.

These saints of old were still bearing fruit in old age, full of sap and green, and in our age and culture which tends to idolise youthfulness and despise old age, we should honour God and those who, by His strength, still provide us with godly examples of faithfulness and fruitfulness after many years of Christian living.

For most of my ministry life I have worked on – and encouraged others to adopt – the principle of having at least one “Paul” and one “Timothy” in my life. The idea is not original to me, but what I mean by it is that we need older and more experienced Christians to be speaking into our lives – Pauls – and we should always have younger believers – Timothys – that we are intentionally investing in and helping shape for the future.

When I was younger I used to wonder how the “Paul” dimension of that principle would work as I got older myself. I needn’t have worried. Now in my early 70s, I have the huge privilege of having men around me who are 15–20 years older than me and who, as much by example as anything, truly speak into my life.

One of them is 95 and is a still very active member in his local church, jealous for the cause of Christ and a great encourager. Another, in his late 80s, is a former elder in the church he helped start many years ago and delights, among other things, in doing a Zoom-based Bible study with one of his many grandchildren and taking part in numerous online and physical prayer meetings. Another friend is a world-famous Christian author, who is still writing, and yet another, a “retired” pastor, told me recently that in the first six months of this year he would be preaching in Wales, San Francisco and Beijing! I am truly grateful to God for keeping men like these around so I can learn more of what it is to follow Christ faithfully to the end.

The issue is not how long you live but how you use however many days and years the Lord gives you. Old age for its own sake is not what the Psalmist has in mind. Notice 92v15 which completes the sentence begun in v14. These old saints “still bear fruit in old age; they are ever full of sap and green, to declare that the LORD is upright.” See that important word “to”!

We cannot predict how ageing will affect us and some don’t even reach retirement age. The question is not how long will I live, but how will I live, and for whom.

William Grimshaw, the 18th-century vicar of Haworth, prayed, “Lord, grant that I may never faint till weakness, old age or death invalidate me. By the grace of God, I’m resolved never to flag while I can ride, walk, creep or crawl.”