They are so many people that look forward to retirement. Because they have worked hard all their lives, they anticipate the day they can prop up their feet and not have to punch a time clock or meet a rigid schedule every day.

To make those retirement years fulfilling they may have in mind getting a motor home or buying a beautiful condo in the mountains or on the seacoast. If that is your aspiration, there is nothing wrong with that; however, if you are a child of God you should have much more in mind than just living a life of leisure and ease. Let’s look at this verse the Psalmist David gives to us:

I. A Problem. The writer of this Psalm speaks of becoming old and gray headed. In all reality, the grey hairs and the years seem to sneak upon us gradually. As we grow old and gray headed, new problems come into our lives. We are much wiser, but our body is in the process of running down and returning to the dust. These bodies as they are will not last forever. The only alternative to not growing older is for your body to die. Although growing old brings problems, we should not allow it to make us grumpy, bitter, and cantankerous. God’s people should learn to trust God with the unseen future.

II. A Prayer. David prays, "O God, forsake me not." One thing is sure in the age of grace, believers permanently have the Holy Spirit indwelling our hearts, for we are sealed by Him unto the day of redemption (Eph. 4:30). On the other hand, we can grieve and quench the Holy Spirit. As a result we can lose the fullness of His power in our lives. I believe the psalmist prayed for God’s Spirit to touch and fill him as he grew older. He did not want a spiritually barren life.

III. A Purpose. The Psalmist clearly reveals what he desires to do with his life. He wanted to declare God’s strength to the generation that was following him. We should determine that we are going to point those who are following us in the right direction. Although most people today are putting material things before spiritual things, we should set our priorities in the spiritual realm. We must point the coming generation to God through our words, worship, and our works. Is there a generation coming behind us that desires Spirit-filled singing and preaching? Is there a generation behind us that has no doubts about the accuracy of the Bible and who acknowledge its claims upon their lives?