Bible Reflections for Older People 

Timely study of communicating faith and love in our twilight years

Bible Reflections for Older People
by David Winter, Jennifer Bute, Lin Ball, Rus Parker
Bible Reading Fellowship
ISBN 978 0 85746514 6
Reviewer: David Stuckey

 
A useful companion of mosty bite-sized remembrances for those facing the twilight of their lives and for those who care for them.

David Winter focuses on Changing Times when it is often seems difficult to wade through the many choices that face us. “Modern society can be a bit like a religious supermarket,” he suggests “with well-meaning distractors peddling their wares”. In our unsettling society he advocates focusing on the ‘steadfast love’ of God, and his promises which are never changing - “yesterday, today, forever”.

Jennifer Bute has a word for those who are less mobile than they once were, less independent and maybe sometimes feeling deserted. She finds comfort in God’s promises and also in his peace, and in thankfulness to God which urges us to acknowledge his presence in our lives with praise . Even with failing memories, she suggests, we still know that God has been faithful to us. We can all recall good stories about the past, stories that reflect God’s goodness.

Lin Ball focuses on the worries that often beset older folk – that picture-perfect dream you had of old age dented by the realities of retirement and unexpected frailty. She advocates facing those challenges as new adventures, treating the Holy Spirit as a ‘celestial sat-nav’ to give confidence and guidance as we step out into unknown territory.

Russ Parker’s ‘buzz-word’ is ‘Remember’ … remembering what God has done for us, acknowleging his presence and influence on our lives, while Thelma Butland brings a word for the older generation. She suggests interacting with grandchildren can be a blessing – for both old and young alike. Grandparents have a crucial role to play in passing on stories of faith, a legacy that no-one can take away. It’s personal, it’s precious and it’s perfect to prepare the next generation for a lifetime spent serving God in their own way .

This is a timely study of communicating faith and love in our twilight years. 

David Stuckey is a journalist and member of Maghull Baptist Church