Holiday of Healing: the Elderly

While the holidays bring joyous memories and laughter for millions, for many others it brings sadness and the close of another year of a precious life. The elderly are especially affected by this as they reminisce over their friends who have passed away, leaving them feeling lonely and fearful. The pains and sicknesses they endure seem to taunt them with fears of death soon to come. When you are healthy or young you can often forget those who are not, and the anxiety that weighs on their mind that comes with the age.

Here is an article and prayer on praying for the elderly who are hurting all around us.

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This week I am thanking the Lord for elderly believers, whose lives testify to the faithfulness of God, every single day, no matter what. To be able to come to the end of your life, still trusting and giving glory to God, in spite of hardship, abuse, poverty, hunger, death of a child, chronic pain or any other combination of hurt from the reservoir of suffering in this world–that gives me the courage to go on. I am also praying for those who are living the end of their lives alone. Without God. Without family. Without the Body of Christ.

I live in a part of the country with many retirees. Attending a church service filled with elderly brothers and sisters is an awesome experience to me. As I listen to them share their stories and hear them join in worship, I am deeply moved in realizing that together and cumulatively they stand as a testament to thousands of years of God’s faithfulness. Every day. No matter what.

Thank you, Lord, for the elderly whose lives complement the lives and stories in Hebrews 11–examples of faith in spite of everything. They stand as witnesses to me, that even if You never make my life any easier, that even if it gets harder–harder than I want to imagine–that I can trust You and fix my eyes on You. Thank You for how these sisters and brothers live out Your joy in suffering and Your hope in times of regret and despair.

I also pray for the elderly who have come to their final years, and after everything has been said and done, are faced with emptiness and meaninglessness–lives lived without You in the picture. God, I pray that in their sadness in looking back and fear in looking forward, that they would find You and know Your peace.

I pray for the elderly who are living out the end of their lives in poverty, abandonment, confusion and pain. Without You and without Your body being the hands and feet of Your love to them.

God, help me not to forget the elderly. Do not let my family be mindless and careless in ignoring the gifts and the needs of those who are older than us. Show me how to make a difference in the lives of lonely and suffering senior citizens in my community.

by Eclexia

What can you do?

1. Be conscious about praying for the elderly, including those outside of your own family.

2. Visit with an elderly person. Maybe there’s a few elderly people in your church or neighborhood that don’t have many family members or those who visit them. Take the time to care. Perhaps you can stop by and do a few things for them around their home, or take them a meal.

3. Send them a card or letter with prayers.

4. Sit by them in church.

5. “Adopt” them for the holidays. Invite them to your home for dinner and fellowship.

6. Remember their birthday or special days. Many of them have lost their spouse and their anniversary dates bring them great sadness. Visit with them that day and try to cheer them up.

7. Look at old pictures with them; they love to tell stories and share their memories.