Praying for Peace in the Face of Aging and Death

The psalmist's plea to God, "And unto old age and grey hairs: O God, forsake me not" (Psalms 71:18, YLT) ^[1], captures a profound concern of the aging: the fear of being abandoned by God in the face of mortality. This concern is echoed in various biblical passages and has been a subject of theological reflection throughout Christian history.

Prayer, understood as "converse with God; the intercourse of the soul with God, not in contemplation or meditation, but in direct address to him" ^[2], is a vital aspect of Christian life, especially in times of affliction, such as aging and approaching death. The Bible encourages believers to pray under affliction, seeking God's presence, comfort, and deliverance ^[3].

In the face of aging and death, Christians have prayed for peace, which is not merely the absence of suffering but a deep trust in God's sovereignty and goodness. According to John Calvin, the promise that believers will "die in peace, after [they] had attained the utmost limit of old age" is a remedy for alleviating sorrow ^[5]. This peace is rooted in the understanding that death is not an end but a transition to eternal life.

The biblical concept of dying "in a good old age, and satisfied with life" (Genesis 25:8) is significant in this context. Calvin interprets this as a distinction between believers and unbelievers, where the former die with a sense of satisfaction and peace, having lived a life filled with faith and hope ^[8]. This is not to say that unbelievers cannot die peacefully, but that the peace experienced by believers is grounded in their relationship with God.

The practice of praying for the dying and the dead has been a subject of theological debate. Calvin argues that the Bible does not countenance praying for the dead, and thus, it is a "profanation of prayer to go one step farther than God enjoins" ^[7]. However, the early Christian practice of making a commemoration of the dead was to acknowledge that they were not forgotten, even if their state was uncertain.

In praying for peace in the face of aging and death, Christians are encouraged to seek God's comfort, strength, and guidance. The apostle Paul's example of kneeling down and praying with the Ephesian elders (Acts 20:36) ^[9] illustrates the importance of communal prayer in times of transition and farewell.

The theological understanding of death as a "sleep in Christ" (1 Corinthians 15:18; 1 Thessalonians 4:14) ^[4] provides a framework for praying about death. It emphasizes the hope of resurrection and the belief that death is not a separation from Christ but a transition to being with Him.

Ultimately, praying for peace in the face of aging and death involves trusting in God's sovereignty and goodness. As Calvin notes, believers should not fear death but rather view it as a gain (Philippians 1:21) ^{[4, 6]}. This trust is nurtured through prayer, which is a means of expressing dependence on God and seeking His presence and comfort in times of vulnerability.

The Christian tradition offers a rich resource for understanding how to pray in the face of aging and death. By examining biblical teachings, theological reflections, and the practices of early Christians, believers can deepen their understanding of how to navigate these significant life transitions with faith and hope.

Sources

Psalms “Psalms 71:18 (YLT) — And also unto old age and grey hairs, O God, forsake me not, Till I declare Thy strength to a generation, To every one that cometh Thy might.”
Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Prayer — Is converse with God; the intercourse of the soul with God, not in contemplation or meditation, but in direct address to him. Prayer may be oral or mental, occasional or constant, ejaculatory or formal. It is a "beseeching the Lord" (Ex. 32:11); "pouring out the soul before the Lord" (1 Sam. 1:15); "praying and crying to heaven" (2 Chr. 32:20); "seeking unto God and making supplication" (Job 8:5); "drawing near to God" (Ps. 73:28); "bowing the knees" (Eph. 3:14). Prayer presupposes a belief in the personality of God, his ability and willingness to hold inter”
Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Affliction, Prayer Under — Exhortation to -- Jas 5:13. That God would consider our trouble -- 2Ki 19:16; Ne 9:32; Ps 9:13; La 5:1. For the presence and support of God -- Ps 10:1; 102:2. That the Holy Spirit may not be withdrawn -- Ps 51:11. For divine comfort -- Ps 4:6; 119:76. For mitigation of troubles -- Ps 39:12,13. For deliverance -- Ps 25:17,22; 39:10; Isa 64:9-12; Jer 17:14. For pardon and deliverance from sin -- Ps 39:8; 51:1; 79:8. That we may be turned to God -- Ps 80:7; 85:4-6; Jer 31:18. For divine teaching and direction -- Job 34:32; Ps 27:11; 143:10. Fo”
Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Death of Saints, The — A sleep in Christ -- 1Co 15:18; 1Th 4:14. Is blessed -- Re 14:13. Is gain -- Php 1:21. Is full of Faith. -- Heb 11:13. Peace. -- Isa 57:2. Hope. -- Pr 14:32. Sometimes desired -- Lu 2:29. Waited for -- Job 14:14. Met with resignation -- Ge 50:24; Jos 23:14; 1Ki 2:2. Met without fear -- 1Co 15:55. Precious in God's sight -- Ps 116:15. God preserves them to -- Ps 48:14. God is with them in -- Ps 23:4. Removes from coming evil -- 2Ki 22:20; Isa 57:1. Leads to Rest. -- Job 3:17; 2Th 1:7. Comfort. -- Lu 16:25. Christ's presence. -- 2Co 5:8; Php 1:23”
CCEL (Reformed) “Calvin, Commentary on Genesis, Vol. 1 (Gen 1-23), section 19.23: his address to Abram alone, because he had need of peculiar confirmation. And the remedy proposed for alleviating his sorrow was, that he should die in peace, after he had attained the utmost limit of old age. The explanation given by some that he should die a natural death, exempt from violence; or an easy death, in which his vital spirits should spontaneously and naturally fail, and his life itself should fall by its own maturity, without any sense of pain, is, in my opinion, frigid. For Moses wishes to express that Abram shoul”
CCEL (Reformed) “John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, section 63: by disgrace and ignominy, we have a higher place in the kingdom of God; 2021 and if we are slain, entrance is thereby given us to eternal life. The Lord having set such a price upon us, let us be ashamed to estimate ourselves at less than the shadowy and evanescent allurements of the present life. 8. Since by these, and similar considerations, Scripture abundantly solaces us for the ignominy or calamities which we endure in defence of righteousness, we are very ungrateful if we do not willingly and cheerfully receive them at the ha”
CCEL (Reformed) “John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, section 60: he wishes us to ask. Now, since the whole Law and Gospel do not contain one syllable which countenances the right of praying for the dead, it is a profanation of prayer to go one step farther than God enjoins. But, lest our opponents boast of sharing their error with the ancient Church, I say, that there is a wide difference between the two. The latter made a commemoration of the dead, that they might not seem to have cast off all concern for them; but they, at the same time, acknowledged that they were doubtful as to their state; ”
CCEL (Reformed) “Calvin, Commentary on Genesis, Vol. 2 (Gen 24-50), section 2.9: should so dishearten us, that we should not hasten, after the example of our father, with joy and alacrity to our death. But although Abraham had this in common with the human race, that he grew old and died; yet Moses, shortly afterwards, puts a difference between him and the promiscuous multitude of men as to manner of dying; namely, that he should die in a good old age, and satisfied with life. Unbelievers, indeed, often seem to participate in the same blessing; yea, David complains that they excelled in this kind of privilege;”
Acts (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Acts 20:36: After the parting sermon that Paul preached to the elders of Ephesus, which was very affecting, we have here the parting prayer and tears, which were yet more affecting; we can scarcely read the account here given of them, and meditate upon them with dry eyes. I. They parted with prayer (Act 20:36): And, when he had thus spoken, he kneeled down, and prayed with them all. And, no doubt, it was a prayer every way suited to the present mournful occasion. He committed them to God in this prayer, prayed that he would not leave them, but continue his presence with them. ”

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