By Dr. John E. Morgan

Pastor–Collinsville Baptist Church

They’ve been singing together since the ‘50s.  But probably not this exact group of fifteen.  Plus a piano player.  And recruits from the congregation. They are the Singing Seniors.

They sing from an old hymnal – I think it was Heavenly Highway Hymns, but I could be wrong.  It might have been shaped notes.  I didn’t know several of the songs.

But the choir did.  They took times about being the lead singer.  They had a play list they were using, but they still argued over what page they were supposed to be on next.  The piano player told us he couldn’t hear very well.  But he could tickle the ivories.

In fact, they were all great.  I may not have known “There’s a Rainbow of Perfect Love”, but they did.  Their voices may have cracked occasionally, but they meant every syllable of every word they sang.  The Spirit spoke through all of their songs.

My wife and I once attended a large church in Birmingham.  One Sunday night an opera singer did a special program of Christian songs.  My wife, a voice major, tells me that her voice was perfect and was amazing.  It was also as cold as the bottom of the freezer.  Musically perfect.  No Spirit.  The next night we were at a Billy Graham Crusade in Birmingham.  Ethel Waters sang “His Eye Is on the Sparrow”.  Her voice was gone.  It cracked at times.  And I was moved to tears.  God sang through her, even in her weakness.

That’s a little of what went on Sunday night with the Singing Seniors.  “Rock of Ages” like they had leaned on Him for ages.  Really knew Him.  “A Little Talk with Jesus” like they had just had a conversation with Him.

They are so committed to their singing.  At least seven hour programs a month.  Even when they have to take care going home driving in the dark.  The oldest singer was 92.  He told me was dreading the drive home, but he would always come and sing as long as the Lord would let him.

There were lots of songs about heaven.  “I’ll Fly Away” like they were really ready to fly away.  Shouldn’t we all be?  “City of Gold”.  “When I Travel the Last Mile”.  One from the congregation said to me that there were a lot of funeral songs.  I was shocked.  Funeral songs?  No, victory songs.  They were not singing about the end.  They were singing about the future.

We live in an age that does not value elders.  We treat old age like a disease and death as something to fear and avoid.  All through history people have valued the wisdom of their elders.  Not us.

What can we learn from Senior Singers?  I was in a store this week, and I saw an older woman that I know.  Asked her how she was.  She assured me she was okay.  I started to walk away, and she stopped me.

“You don’t know do you?”  “What’s that, ma’am?”

“I lost my son.  He died this week.  I have eight children, and he was the fourth I have lost.”  How do you respond to that?  With the wisdom of the elders.

I said, “I do not pretend to understand your pain of losing a child.  But I know you are hurting.”  She lowered her head and shook it yes.  I took her hand and as she looked at me I asked, “was he ready for this, did he know the Lord”?  A quick nod.  “Then one day soon you will be with him again, won’t you?”  I wish you could have seen her smile.  The joy in her eyes.  They were so bright in anticipation.  A look people would pay a lot of money to have.  But it is not for sale.

“I’m kind of homesick for a country to which I’ve never been before.  No sad goodbyes will there be spoken, for time won’t matter anymore” the choir sang.  That woman knew that.  And knowing that helped her with the pain of today.

That’s one thing we can learn from the Singing Seniors.  Our elders who can already begin to see across the river.  “Beulah Land I’m longing for you.  And some day…there my home shall be.”