Growing Old Without Growing Cold
By Elder Sim Chow Meng, Mount Hermon BP Church
“Though outwardly we are wasting away…”
For many of our seniors, this is not just a verse but daily reality.
The body that once carried children, stood through long shifts, and served quietly in church now aches more easily. Simple tasks need more time. Names slip. Steps are slower.
Medical appointments fill the calendar. And with all this, some quiet questions creep in:
“Am I still useful?”
“Am I now a burden?”
“Has God sidelined me?”
The Bible’s answer is kind and clear: in Christ, you are not being discarded; you are being prepared for glory.
Paul writes, “Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day… For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all” (2 Cor 4:16–17).
Scripture does not pretend that ageing is easy. It does not call pain “small” or dependence “pleasant”. But it insists that even in this stage, God is at work. Paul said elsewhere, “The sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is revealed to us” (Romans 8:18).
Growing old in Christ is not the slow exit of someone no longer needed. It is the final stretch of faith before seeing the Lord face to face. Psalm 92 says of the righteous, “They still bear fruit in old age; they are ever full of sap and green, to declare that the Lord is upright” (Ps 92:14–15).
Fruitfulness in old age may not look like running camps, chairing committees, or staying back for late meetings. It often looks quieter and this is no less precious in God’s sight.
It may look like praying regularly for the church family. A short WhatsApp to encourage someone younger. A quiet word that points a worried parent back to trust. A steady example of clinging to Christ through hospital stays and sleepless nights. These are not “small things”. In God’s eyes, this is real fruit.
The Desiring God article “Honor an Old Face: The Lost Art of Respecting Our Elders” helpfully reminds us that honouring the aged is not just Asian culture or good manners; it is obedience. In Leviticus 19:32, we read, “You shall stand up before the gray head and honor the face of an old man, and you shall fear your God: I am the LORD”.
In a world that prizes youth, speed and fresh ideas, the church must not copy the habit of overlooking those who move slower or speak softer. Our older brothers and sisters carry years of walking with God — stories of His help, His discipline, His faithfulness. To honour them is to say, “We see what God has done in your life, and we thank Him for you.”
Many congregations partner with external senior ministries. These partnerships are not ways of sending our seniors elsewhere so that the churches can move on.
Rather, these are extensions of care - extra spaces for fellowship, learning and friendship. They widen the circle of care while our seniors remain firmly rooted in their local church family. Whatever strength, encouragement and inputs our seniors receive there can flow back to bless the wider body.
To our seniors, we want you to hear this clearly. You are an integral part of Christ’s church. You are not on the fringe of our life together. We need your prayers for our leaders, our young families, our youths and our children. We need your perspective when we are anxious over grades, careers, or growth. We need your steady faith to remind us that God has been faithful through far more than what we see today.
To the rest of us, let honour take on a shape that we can see and feel, in simple, concrete ways. Slow down on Sundays to greet an older member by name. Offer an arm, a seat, or a lift without making them feel like a project. Invite them into your small group or your family meal. Ask, “How can I pray for you?” — and then follow up. Parents, bring your children along when you visit an elderly brother or sister. Let the next generation see that caring for seniors is normal Christian life.
As we remember the sure hope of the resurrection, let us remember that many among us are already walking that final lap. Their bodies remind us that this life is passing; their faith reminds us that Christ is worth trusting to the very end.
In a church shaped by the risen Christ, no season of life is wasted. May our churches be a place where our seniors are helped to grow old without growing cold, and where their quiet, faithful hope in Jesus warms and strengthens every generation that walks beside them.
Reference:
Morse, G. (2022, November 27). Honor an Old Face: The Lost Art of Respecting Our Elders. Desiring God. https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/honor-an-old-face
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