Brian Edwards 34 Concluding the series from a talk by Brian Edwards, at ' The World, the Church and Older People' conference, November 2007. Growing old with hope We'll all be forgotten quite soon after we've gone to that better place. Frankly, it doesn't really matter. There may be a plaque on the wall of the church; a headstone in a graveyard, or a single line in a Book of Remembrance. But what's our real legacy going to be? I think of gracious saints who have infl uenced my life and I've prayed ' Lord let me grow old like them'. Then I have something to pass on to the next generation. They're long forgotten now, but the infl uence of them through me could be passed on. And you'll notice that my focus is on those growing old in our churches. Of course, I know that as we have opportunity, we have to do good to all people - Galatians 6. But Paul insists, especially to those who belong to the family of believers. We must show the way. First, there is dignity in old age. Second, we must teach our young people that there is dignity in old age. Thirdly, we must teach all our people to grow old with dignity. Fourthly, we must teach our people to grow old with purpose. But fi nally, we must teach our people to grow old with hope. According to Proverbs 10: 28, ' The prospect of the righteous is joy' ( NIV). It always is. You may translate the word prospect by ' hope' because it comes from a root meaning ' to wait'. It's a confi dent expectation, something we eagerly hope and wait for. I like the NIV ' prospect'; Don't forget to book for the second in this conference series, ' The World, the Church and Older People', taking place in London on October 13th. See the advertisement on the back cover for contact details.

Brian Edwards 35 something to look forward to. And what is more the Bible has laid out a fairly comprehensive prospectus for us, not as fully as we'd like, but it's all we need. Time magazine eight years ago ran an article that suggested we may soon be living to 125. And the writer, having outlined the mental and physical problems of his elderly mother, commented: ' Do we have to grow old so sadly?' And the Christian answer is ' most defi nitely not'. God sets the lonely in families ( Psalm 68: 6) and where there's no genetic family to care or even if there is, it's the privilege of the Christian church to care for those who have spent, in many cases, a lifetime of service to the Lord, often at great sacrifi ce. Old age is not a destination Sadly, there are so many elderly people in our nation who have no prospect and who are sad and lonely and afraid. But old age doesn't have to be like that. For the Christian, old age is not a destination. It is a latter part of a journey. It is simply the departure lounge for something glorious to follow; a journey into life. The Christian response to old age is not only to look to the bright prospect which is before us; there is a ' meanwhile'. And we must help the elderly saints to appreciate the value of ' meanwhile'. That is the immediate prospect of joy. Oh, and there are so many promises from God's words to encourage the elderly saints; here's just one to start with: Isaiah 46: 3- 4; ' Listen to me, O house of Jacob, Fellowship in old age