How striking are the last lines that David Livingstone (1813-1873) penned on the night he died! His sons found that the famous missionary had died on his knees beside his bed, in the posture of prayer. He had written these words: "My Jesus, my King, my life, my all; to Thee again I dedicate myself." For Livingstone, every day was another day to serve and to grow.

We tend to lose heart as we age. Our physical strength abates; our health deteriorates; our memory gets cloudy. But we need not despair. Every day can be a new beginning toward "good old age." Growing older can mean maturing, growing in grace and fruitfulness, getting sweeter as the days go by—more mellow, less critical of others, less impatient with the attitudes of the younger generation.

The drain of the years can be amply met by the spring of God's grace that flows within. We can continue to grow and be spiritually productive as we age. Pastor F. B. Meyer (1847-1929) said, "The last sheaves that fall beneath thy sickle can be the heaviest; the width of thy swath can be the greatest as you turn toward home."

Getting older can mean growing, maturing, ministering, venturing—enjoying life to the end of our days.    — David H. Roper