Focus: The Evening of Life

Text: Zech.14:7

"At evening time it shall be light."

The graphic picture that Zachariah the prophet paints about the Babylonian Captivity is horrific and tragic. But in this verse, he gives a ray of hope, and says that a day, known by God, was coming when the story would be different and the pain of the Captivity would be finally over. Then God's people would breathe a fresh air and regain their liberty. Then light would shine by night for the people of God. In that day "every evening will be a fresh morning" (TM). But beyond the literal message of Zechariah 14, which had to do with the Babylonian Captivity, I see a spiritual truth regarding old age, that is, using 'evening' as a metaphor for old age. The prophet says, "At evening time it shall be light." That is surely a message of hope for the elderly.

As you may know, old age has its complications. The energy and fire of youth wanes and the power of memory diminishes. The capacity for pleasure drastically decreases even as health issues compound. An old wise man said, "Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I HAVE NO PLEASURE IN THEM" (Ecl.12:1). Sarah said, "After I am waxed old shall I have PLEASURE, my lord being old also?" (Gen.18:12). For so many, life loses its sweet taste as old age arrives. Francis Bacon said, "Hope is a good breakfast, but it is a bad supper." That is early life dreams becoming elusive at old age. That is like hoping forever with no reality in sight. Age without achievement is not only painful, but regrettable. No one wants a life like that. But the sure word of God says, "At EVENING time it shall be light."

God promises to lighten up the evening of your life. Your old age shall be full of light. God will lessen the burdens that come with old age. You shall enjoy the goodness of old age.

You will look for darkness and not see it. You will not be hopeless, helpless and powerless.

You will experience at old age:

*The light of life

*The light of Scripture

*The light of experience

*The light of reflection

*The light of memory

*The light of wisdom

*The light of eternity

*The light of hope

*The light of immortality

You will not experience the night of gloom and doom. You will live free of health complications. Moses says, "As thy days, so shall thy strength be." Joel says that old men shall dream dreams by the Spirit of God.

The word of God shall be medicine to your bones. Solomon says, "It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones" (Prov.3:8).

Think of Moses at 80, commissioned to be the deliverer of Israel! Think of Caleb at 85, ready to possess Mt. Hebron! The psalmist says, "They shall still bring forth fruit in old age; they shall be fat and flourishing" (Ps.92:14).

At old age, the light of eternity shines brighter. Solomon says, "But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day" (Prov.4:18). The Scripture says of David, "And he died in a good old age, full of days, riches, and honour…" (1Chron.29:28).

I pray and declare that you will not be alone in the evening of your life. Old age is harvest time, and so, I pray you enjoy a good harvest, and let your bad harvest, if at all there is any, be minimal. Even in your hour of death, I pray you have light, even the light of hope by the grave.

The Spirit of the Lord will light up your life at old age. You will have the Lord as your ever-present physician and companion. I pray for you to age gracefully. I pray that you look younger as you grow older. I pray for us to live and die well. The believer lives by faith and dies in the faith, and that's the best way to live and die. I declare the word of God to you, that "at evening time it shall be light." Amen!

by Bishop Moses E. Peter