The Agony and Ecstasy of Aging

by O. E. Bickel

Are you afflicted with gerontophobia? That’s the fear of growing old. From the moment we are born, we all are aging in a constant countdown. The pace of aging may seem different. For children, time crawls.  For young adults, time walks.  For older adults, time races. Even at age seventy-two, I still am amazed I am no longer young.

It's quite a shock when for the first time you hear yourself referred to as old. I was in my early sixties out for a walk on the beach, when from a distance I heard a conversation in which I was referred to as an “old man.” The exact words were, “That old man over there is Mr. Bickel.” No mistaking who was meant.

This shocking report was confirmed just two days later. A car full of young people stopped next to me at a stop light—windows open, radio blaring. Then one of them loudly referred to the “old man in the next car” as though I were deaf. The light changed. They roared away. I looked around, but there was no other car in sight. No mistaking who was meant.

So let’s talk about the agony and ecstasy of aging. Agony sounds right. Ecstasy sounds unlikely. Gray hair, wrinkles, balding, getting winded easily, flab and paunch are early signs of our decline. People fight aging with hair color, lotions and potions, diet and exercise, hair pieces and wigs, heavy make-up and rouge, all to no avail. Retirement years are often repair years. Face lifts, implants, cosmetic operations and—more drastically—replacement of worn out body parts from organ banks. Agonies mount as more and more repairs are needed on the old carcass. This is why we don't like the look of old age.  We don't like the feel of old age.  We don't like the prejudice against old age. 

Most of all, we don't like the outcome of old age. An old German proverb says: “The young may die, the old must die.” Brain cells die from birth on. The body ages and functions until life cannot be sustained.  That’s medical knowledge.

But why do we age and die? The Bible says, "The wages of sin is death" (Rom. 6:23). Sin is disobedience of God. We all disobey, and the result is aging and death. That's spiritual knowledge. But there is more: “The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Rom: 6:23). This unparalleled gift is available to you, because Jesus Christ paid the wages of your sins—and of everyone else—when he died on the cross.

Jesus didn’t stop there.  He rose alive from the tomb!  He promised all who trust in him, “Because I live, you also will live” (John 14:19). That’s ecstasy!  Easter is never over. It is ever! By its very nature, the resurrection of Jesus Christ is constant and eternal. It is the atomic power core of Christianity. Are you tapping into that source of spiritual energy and courage? 

Those who fail to do so, live in fear. In the ballad “Ole Man River” a Mississippi River dock worker sings:

I'm feared of livin' and skeered of dyin',

but Ole Man River he just keeps rollin' along.

Without the risen Christ that's all there is. Time just keeps rollin'—and we are feared and skeered. That’s agony.

Because the specter of death looms over our days, the ecstasy of aging is not found primarily in retirement, leisure, fishing, golf, vacations, cruises, spas, and super senior communities. The ecstasy of aging is found in something deeper, richer, sweeter, better, brighter, surer and longer lasting. The ecstasy of aging is having Jesus, the victor over the grave, as your personal deliverer from death.

The angel at the empty grave of Jesus said, "Do not be afraid…. he has risen, just as he said” (Matthew 28:5-6). If by faith you tap into that source of fearlessness, you will know the ecstasy of living, no matter what age you are.

Dr. Norman Vincent Peale tells of a visit he made to a dying Christian woman. He asked how she was. With a rare and beautiful smile, she said, "Spiritually I'm all right and mentally also.  Physically, I may as well tell you, I'm going to die." Her eyes showed great serenity. She was like a person getting ready for a long, beautiful journey. There was no craven fear, only trust. No agony, only ecstasy.

"I wanted to see you, Pastor,” she explained, “not because I lacked comfort, but to urge you to go on preaching Christ's message of hope and faith, to keep on telling people that if they receive Jesus Christ and have a close companionship with Him, He will help them in every way. He is so close to me. I have no fear of life. I have no fear of death."

With such faith even the last years, despite problems and eventual death, can be the very best. The Lord promises, “Even to your old age and gray hairs I am he, I am he who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you” (Isaiah 46:4). God offers His forgiveness and care to you, no matter what your age. No mistaking who is meant.

So as you ponder the brevity of life, may you often pray like this—

Lord, my God, prepare me for all of life, but most of all, prepare me for the last miles, that I may not falter or fall before crossing the finish line. Grant me victory through Christ who strengthens me. Through Him I can do all things, including facing death with faith in my Savior God. Amen.