There is something penetratingly satisfying about fellowship with those who have walked with the Lord for many years.
One of my favorite memories is my first SIM conference in Ethiopia. It was almost twenty years ago, and it was during a period when a number of retired missionaries were returning to Ethiopia to begin new works, or to support ongoing work. Some were in their late seventies. One couple was even older. They were going to a location where they had spent a lifetime in translation and teaching, and all of the materials were destroyed and burned in war. They were more or less starting over.
I heard testimonies of God's faithfulness. Over and over. I heard simple declarations of priority. The trivial was not given weight.
For three days they sang and sang and and prayed and prayed. There were testimony meetings that were hours long, but seemed like only minutes. They had a time of confession that was healthy and sweet and edifying. My bed was crawling with bugs and there was not enough food. I didn't care. I wanted it to last forever.
Time teaches the faithful to bend to the important, rather than the urgent.
12The [uncompromisingly] righteous shall flourish like the palm tree [be long-lived, stately, upright, useful, and fruitful]; they shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon [majestic, stable, durable, and incorruptible].
13Planted in the house of the Lord, they shall flourish in the courts of our God.
14[Growing in grace] they shall still bring forth fruit in old age; they shall be full of sap [of spiritual vitality] and [rich in the] verdure [of trust, love, and contentment].
15[They are living memorials] to show that the Lord is upright and faithful to His promises; He is my Rock, and there is no unrighteousness in Him.
Psalm 92 (Amplified Bible)