We know human beings don’t live forever, but we are seeing many live much longer than in the past. With improvements in health care and diet for most of the Western world, life expectancy has been rising steadily. A century ago the average life expectancy in the United States was less than 50 years, while today it is on average closer to 80. And some experts predict that perhaps half of the babies born after 2000 will see their 100th birthday!

Longer life spans mean more people are moving into an advanced stage of life as older adults. As we move beyond the stage of life where we are raising children, establishing careers and planning for many years to come, we begin to face different challenges and also different opportunities.

Since the Creator designed us to experience all of the physical stages of life—including old age—it is important that we look to Him and to His Bible to show us how to live and honor Him, no matter our age.

God does not leave us without instruction, encouragement and direction as we age. We invite you to read the articles in this section that explore some of what we are taught through the pages of the Bible that applies to the honorable and distinguished years we may spend as older adults.