🌳 A Prayer of Gratitude and Trust

Gracious God,

We thank our elders for their long lives and the knowledge they have acquired.
We thank you for their hands that have held many children,
for their eyes that have seen many years,
and for their voices that share deep wisdom.

Please forgive us for the times we ignored older people.
Forgive us when we treated them like “old things.”
instead of important teachers.
Forgive us for not listening to their stories.

Help us to listen with open hearts.
Help us to ask them questions while we still have the time.
Help us to learn the lessons they want to teach us.

Please bless our elders.
Give them the courage to share their stories.
Help them feel confident that their lives are important.
Let them feel the joy of being seen, heard, and loved.

Help us remember:
They are not just “old”—they are experienced.
They are not just “retired”—they are keepers of wisdom.
They are not just waiting for the end—they are fully alive.

Thank you for the gift of their many years and the truth they share with us.

Amen.

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Proverbs 16:31 “Gray hair is a crown of splendor; it is attained in the way of righteousness.”

Isaiah 46:4 “Even to your old age and gray hairs I am he, I am he who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you.”

Leviticus 19:32 “Stand up in the presence of the aged, show respect for the elderly and revere your God. I am the Lord.”