Old age slowly creeps up on some people. For others, it happens quite suddenly. One day they wake up and can’t believe what they see in the mirror!

Growing older is inevitable for those who manage to remain alive. It is something that we should expect. It is something we should plan for. It is something we should pray about.

Psalm 71:18 records this prayer—“Even when I am old and gray, do not forsake me, my God, till I declare your power to the next generation, your mighty acts to all who are to come.”

In this prayer we see three desires.

First, the Psalm writer yearns for the presence of God. The more we mature, the more we should understand the need for God’s constant presence. Fellowship with our Creator and Redeemer is what we humans need in order to have a truly satisfying life.

Second, he asks for the opportunity to proclaim his message, a declaration of the great power of God. Jesus says that we are to be his witnesses (Acts 1:8), and every Christian has their own story to tell about the great power of God that rescues us from our sins.

Finally, there is a request that this message be passed along to “the next generation”—to “all who are to come.” We need to understand and accept the responsibility of passing along our faith in God to those who follow behind us. Only as we do this will we fulfill our purpose in life.