Billy Graham: Aging Christians Should Take Comfort in God's Word
Aging Christians who may be losing their senses, such as sight, can take comfort in God's Word, the Rev. Billy Graham wrote in a recent post.
In a question posted to The Kansas City Star, a worried Christian asked the 97-year-old evangelical leader if God would be upset with them because they are no longer able to read their Bible.
Graham explains that there should be no reason to worry, as God knows what each of His children are capable of. Instead, Christians who are losing their senses can take comfort in their memories of God's Word and look for other ways to learn it.
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"[…] take comfort in the truths you have read in God's word over the years, and which (hopefully) have taken root in your heart and mind," the evangelical leader explains, adding that "reading the Bible shouldn't be something we do just out of habit, or because we think God will look with favor on us if we do it. The Bible is God's word, and God wants to speak to us through its pages."
"That's why we always should come to the Bible prayerfully, reverently, thoughtfully and obediently," Graham says.
The Baptist minister goes on to say that there are other ways for Christians to learn God's Word, such as listening to their pastor's sermons, listening to a Christian radio station, or attending a Bible study that focuses on audio recording instead of reading.
Graham points to Psalm 78:1 which states: "My people, hear my teaching; listen to the words of my mouth."
He concludes by saying that while it is important to follow the Bible, it is most important to have Christ at the center of your life.
"Christ is the center of the Bible — and may he be the center of your life as well," Graham says.
He has spoken on the topic of aging before, writing in September 2015 that Christians should not feel guilty if they are no longer able to drive to a church service or participate in their church community like they used to.
"Remember, God's Word is not limited by distance or confined only to a building," Graham explains, quoting Hebrews 4:12 that states: "The word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword [...] it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart."
While some activities may prove more difficult with age, Graham encourages Christians to maintain their ties with their church community in every way they can, including sending their pastor a note or staying in contact with their church friends.
In 2011, Graham, then 93, released a book entitled Nearing Home: Life, Faith, and Finishing Well
that details the experience of growing old.
"I never thought I would live to be this old. All my life I was taught how to die as a Christian, but no one ever taught me how I ought to live in the years before I die," Graham writes in the book, adding that he "[wishes] they had because I am an old man now, and believe me, it's not easy."
