Another Take on Aging

For a class that I will be taking this fall I have been reading Anthony A. Hoekema's The Bible and the Future. In his chapter on physical death he makes a brief yet poignant comment that "The older we get, the more it grieves us that we keep on falling short of doing the will of God. One feels something of the weight of this burden when he reads Paul's words in Romans 8:32, 'And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.'"

This struck me because, though I am accustomed to viewing the world around me as "groaning" under the longitudinal effects of man's mismanagement and the fall as a whole, I have never considered my own physicality in this way. Though a decline in physical prowess is a commonly lamented theme amongst older generations, I have only ever heard it referenced as a personal frustration. Hoekema's statement forces his readers to consider the negative effects of aging in light of the commission God has given his people (to be fruitful and multiply, to fill the earth and subdue it), such that we see our physical decline as lamentable not only because of the ways that it limits our own abilities, but also because of the ways it hinders us from carrying out the duty he has given us.

Perhaps another application of this thought could be the importance for caring well for our bodies and doing our best to push back the negative effects of aging. If we view our gradual physical decline as a stumbling block in our pursuit of living out God's design, then shouldn't we be much more intentional about the food we eat and the exercise we engage in? Once again this shows how much the things we are tempted to view as limitations (such as diets, eating plans, exercise, studies, etc.) can actually be launching pads towards the fullness of life that God originally designed us for.

Additionally, I believe this thought of the negative effects of aging causing us to fall short of God's design for us, and the "groaning" that we experience along with the rest of creation for the renewal of all things should push us towards instilling those who come behind us with the passion to press forward as well. As the Psalmist writes in Psalm 71:17-18, O God, from my youth you have taught me, and I still proclaim your wondrous deeds. So even to old age and gray hairs, O God, do not forsake me, until I proclaim your might to another generation, your power to all those to come."

Reading Hoekema's quote, I am excited to become aware of another area of my life that I can apply myself to the exciting task of chasing after the call of God's design, and am also even further affirmed of the importance of intentional next generational ministry!

-Drew