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A Good Old Age: An A to Z of Loving and Following the Lord Jesus in Later Years
Old age often gets a bad press. Associated with grumpiness, aches and pains, loneliness, and isolation it's not something we particularly look forward to or relish when we're there.
Pastor and Bible teacher, Derek Prime, himself in his 80s, shows us that there is another way to view old age. He guides us through 26 Christian priorities that we should hold to in later life. With biblical wisdom and practical advice, he helps us to navigate the unique challenges and joys that old age can bring. This is a book to dip into, meditate on and read prayerfully as you let the truths it contains gently transform the way you live your old age.
Pastor and Bible teacher, Derek Prime, himself in his 80s, shows us that there is another way to view old age. He guides us through 26 Christian priorities that we should hold to in later life. With biblical wisdom and practical advice, he helps us to navigate the unique challenges and joys that old age can bring. This is a book to dip into, meditate on and read prayerfully as you let the truths it contains gently transform the way you live your old age.
182 pages, Paperback
Published November 1, 2017
13 people are currently reading
107 people want to read
About the author
Derek J. Prime
49 books7 followersAfter serving churches in the UK as a pastor for thirty years, first at Lansdowne Evangelical Free Church, West Norwood, in London; and then at Charlotte Chapel in Edinburgh, Derek Prime has devoted himself since 1987 to an itinerant ministry and to writing.
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
January 19, 2025
I am reading more in old age and on old age! :-) This is a brilliant little book full of gems, helpful anecdotes, Bible verses, hymns and quotes arranged in 26 sections from A to Z. It was published in 2017 and Derek Prime died aged 89 in 2020 so I am guessing he was 86 when he wrote it, 20 years older than I am now. A book that makes you feel the final years, challengung though they are with declining mental and physical agility are full of blessing and opportunity. I found it greatly refreshing and brimming with Christian hope.
December 27, 2018
Forever Young!
It is a good book for reminding us of the basic things that we can and should do to draw close to and enjoy a loving and fulfilling relationship with God the Father through His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, by the enabling power of His Holy Spirit. I am just wondering though, why we as Christians don’t see our life in Christ here on earth as the beginning of our everlasting life and embrace our youthfulness in every ‘developmental stage’ which, for those who believe in Christ, only leads to more life and not to the eternal death that awaits those who have trusted only in the mortality of this world. I personally hope to keep on resisting the pull to embrace ‘oldness’ in order to pretend that age (or education) per se produces wisdom, respectability, and the mindset of entitlement to be proud, selfish, cranky, and irresponsible as a result of suffering through life (or schooling) for a certain number of years! This ‘old age’ mentality has been starting to manifest itself at much younger ages as a result of disillusionment concerning the ordinary everyday discomforts or the voluntary sufferings endured in pursuit of just about anything that offers health, satisfaction, and/or financial abundance!! We expect comfort and perfection from a fallen and imperfect world when the only perfection and lasting comfort is found in the triune God who created all things! This world has nothing to offer compared to the eternal, never-ending life and joy that can only be promised and produced by knowing the Maker and Giver of Life Himself!
It is a good book for reminding us of the basic things that we can and should do to draw close to and enjoy a loving and fulfilling relationship with God the Father through His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, by the enabling power of His Holy Spirit. I am just wondering though, why we as Christians don’t see our life in Christ here on earth as the beginning of our everlasting life and embrace our youthfulness in every ‘developmental stage’ which, for those who believe in Christ, only leads to more life and not to the eternal death that awaits those who have trusted only in the mortality of this world. I personally hope to keep on resisting the pull to embrace ‘oldness’ in order to pretend that age (or education) per se produces wisdom, respectability, and the mindset of entitlement to be proud, selfish, cranky, and irresponsible as a result of suffering through life (or schooling) for a certain number of years! This ‘old age’ mentality has been starting to manifest itself at much younger ages as a result of disillusionment concerning the ordinary everyday discomforts or the voluntary sufferings endured in pursuit of just about anything that offers health, satisfaction, and/or financial abundance!! We expect comfort and perfection from a fallen and imperfect world when the only perfection and lasting comfort is found in the triune God who created all things! This world has nothing to offer compared to the eternal, never-ending life and joy that can only be promised and produced by knowing the Maker and Giver of Life Himself!
February 25, 2018
A 60th birthday present from a dear, older friend, 'A Good Old Age' has proved to be a great boon in my life! It is a remarkable book. Easily read, easily understood and easily applied!
Its subtitle is 'An A to Z of loving and following the Lord Jesus in later years', but in reality, while it is written from this perspective, it has much to say to any and all followers of the Lord Jesus, at whatever age or stage of their discipleship.
I especially enjoyed the chapter 'E is for Encouragement', and the following comments:
"Everyone - great or small -needs encouragement at times in life, but, sadly some are never or seldom given it... Even the strongest Christians we know needs timely encouragement."
So, when was the last time I, or you, encouraged someone else? It is a spiritual gift given to the body of Christ and a sphere of service for God (Romans 12:8; 1 Corinthians 14:3-4).
A 5-star read. Very highly recommended!
Its subtitle is 'An A to Z of loving and following the Lord Jesus in later years', but in reality, while it is written from this perspective, it has much to say to any and all followers of the Lord Jesus, at whatever age or stage of their discipleship.
I especially enjoyed the chapter 'E is for Encouragement', and the following comments:
"Everyone - great or small -needs encouragement at times in life, but, sadly some are never or seldom given it... Even the strongest Christians we know needs timely encouragement."
So, when was the last time I, or you, encouraged someone else? It is a spiritual gift given to the body of Christ and a sphere of service for God (Romans 12:8; 1 Corinthians 14:3-4).
A 5-star read. Very highly recommended!
April 4, 2025
“Grow old along with me! The best is yet to be,” wrote Robert Browning. Now that more of us postdiluvians than ever are living to ‘a good old age’, how many are living a good old age? This book aims to help us approach our later years, in Browning’s words, as “the last of life for which the first was made” and to live them well.
A Good Old Age is full of helpful, practical Biblical advice and guidance for those approaching and living in their later years. Its 26 brief chapters each focus on one topic, beginning in turn with the next letter of the alphabet, from Acceptance to Zeal. In the 5-6 pages of large print allotted to each, we are reminded what our aims, foundations, duties, joys and resources are or should be as Christians. Each chapter ends with a short, suggested prayer.
Some of the topics are very pertinent to old age. The first, Acceptance, is one. Taking King David’s friend Barzillai (2 Sam 17) as an example, the writer shows the need to accept the restrictions, reduced abilities and declining facilities of old age. The third, Contentment, is another.
Others, such as Belief, Obedience and Serve seem to be equally applicable to all stages of a Christian’s life and the author has to make a particular point of bringing out their relevance to old age. Many of the chapters, with minimal editing, could serve equally well in a book on discipleship for a Christian of any age.
The book is probably best read in small doses, such as a chapter a day, giving time to take in and process each topic with its challenges. That is how I read and benefited from it. The rather artificial constraint of having one chapter for each letter of the alphabet suggests a somewhat arbitrary selection of topics. One wonders what kind of book the author would have written if asked to address, say, a dozen or so topics of particular relevance to living as an older Christian.
A Christian of any age would surely benefit from reading this book and reflecting personally on what it says about following Jesus Christ well.
A Good Old Age is full of helpful, practical Biblical advice and guidance for those approaching and living in their later years. Its 26 brief chapters each focus on one topic, beginning in turn with the next letter of the alphabet, from Acceptance to Zeal. In the 5-6 pages of large print allotted to each, we are reminded what our aims, foundations, duties, joys and resources are or should be as Christians. Each chapter ends with a short, suggested prayer.
Some of the topics are very pertinent to old age. The first, Acceptance, is one. Taking King David’s friend Barzillai (2 Sam 17) as an example, the writer shows the need to accept the restrictions, reduced abilities and declining facilities of old age. The third, Contentment, is another.
Others, such as Belief, Obedience and Serve seem to be equally applicable to all stages of a Christian’s life and the author has to make a particular point of bringing out their relevance to old age. Many of the chapters, with minimal editing, could serve equally well in a book on discipleship for a Christian of any age.
The book is probably best read in small doses, such as a chapter a day, giving time to take in and process each topic with its challenges. That is how I read and benefited from it. The rather artificial constraint of having one chapter for each letter of the alphabet suggests a somewhat arbitrary selection of topics. One wonders what kind of book the author would have written if asked to address, say, a dozen or so topics of particular relevance to living as an older Christian.
A Christian of any age would surely benefit from reading this book and reflecting personally on what it says about following Jesus Christ well.
May 10, 2018
This a great read - even though I am 49, I can see many of the things addressed in this book already creeping up on me. The introduction does suggest you read a chapter a day - not in three days flat. But the type font is pleasantly large, and the chapters do not waffle on!!
Very practical, I would highly recommend this to
- couples as part of your daily devotions, you can then reflect and discuss the subject for the rest of the day
- for those on their own - lots of practical advice for those experiencing isolation, boredom etc.
- for a Fellowship meeting - why not read a chapter each time you meet a discuss the issues it raises.
Now can I convince my church to buy 50+ copies to pass on to people! I hope so!!
Very practical, I would highly recommend this to
- couples as part of your daily devotions, you can then reflect and discuss the subject for the rest of the day
- for those on their own - lots of practical advice for those experiencing isolation, boredom etc.
- for a Fellowship meeting - why not read a chapter each time you meet a discuss the issues it raises.
Now can I convince my church to buy 50+ copies to pass on to people! I hope so!!
February 17, 2022
This book made me wish I could have been a member under Paster Prime's church. Unfortunately, he died in 2021 and retired years earlier. He wrote this book when he was in his eighties and it is written for people in their senior years but the principles are good for any Christian because it goes through spiritual disciplines every Christian needs to develop such as contentment, discipleship, encouragement, and being non-judgmental. It is best to read one or two chapter a day and meditate on them. Each chapter ends with a prayer. The forward is written by Alistair Begg who was a student of Derek Prime when he was young and was heavily influenced by him.
October 15, 2018
As a man of 36, I thoroughly enjoyed A Good Old Age. The layout was simple, yet engaging. The chapters were each a good length. Perfect for reading while on a car trip or waiting in a doctor's office, but best read in a quiet place alone because of the depth found in each chapter.
My favorite part of the book was the amount of devotion that Mr. Prime seemed to have for his Lord! It was a blessing!
It seems like a good read for an older fellow. But I found a lot of helpful things in it for me during this time of preparation for my "Good Old Age!"
My favorite part of the book was the amount of devotion that Mr. Prime seemed to have for his Lord! It was a blessing!
It seems like a good read for an older fellow. But I found a lot of helpful things in it for me during this time of preparation for my "Good Old Age!"
June 27, 2020
I so appreciated his warmth with which he wrote and his zeal for the Lord and in sharing the good news with others! It was clear that though he was in his late 80s his relationship with Christ was still so vibrant. Lots of practical wisdom and gems of truth hidden in here. Easy to read, like a daily devotional. I would like to pick up copies to give to some of my hospice patients. It’s really a fantastic book that could help our older generation keep the flame of their faith going. I’m excited to discuss it tonight with my church’s book discussion group.
February 2, 2019
What do I think? I'm not there yet, that's what :) This was written by a wonderful man who is obviously much older than I. I read it as a daily devotional over the last month and found some good nuggets for today, but perhaps most important it has served as a daily reminder to appreciate all the little things I have available to me now - things that won't always be easy or available as we enter old age.
March 4, 2019
It's easy as the stages of increasing frailty occur for one to become frustrated or see one's usefulness diminish. Derek Prime holds out a challenge and encouragement to maintaining & even strengthening one's walk of faith, holding fast and even "growing in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ" more and more.
Practical suggestions and short reads make it easy to go a letter at a time and meditate on where one is and where one wants to end.
Practical suggestions and short reads make it easy to go a letter at a time and meditate on where one is and where one wants to end.
December 22, 2019
This is a gracious and easily accessible book. While clearly aimed at those in their latter years it would also be helpful to those in the earlier phases.
The alphabetical structure and the bite sized chunks were helpful.
Highly recommended and have asked for it to be on the book stall for our Bath Churches Network in March 2020. (https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/uncork...)
The alphabetical structure and the bite sized chunks were helpful.
Highly recommended and have asked for it to be on the book stall for our Bath Churches Network in March 2020. (https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/uncork...)
June 20, 2023
Derek Prime's A to Z acrostic is really an excellent guide to faithful Christian living at any age. But as he moves from A to Z, he details the particular challenges that older folks experience which helps me be more understanding of the foibles of our senior saints. The book also presents a model of the joyful Christian living that I can follow as I look ahead to the later years of my own life.
September 13, 2025
A very good devotional and worth reading at any age. Some of the letters seemed a bit forced, but overall, I think the format makes for memorable insights, and Prime has good thoughts about heart posture, humble realism, and worthwhile actions for the aging person. Younger people can anticipate these days ahead and live in a God-honoring, Spirit-filled way now.
March 18, 2021
Just because you are getting old doesn't mean you need to be cranky. Derek addresses common problems with aging. From contentment to hope to joy to non-judgmentalism to walk to zeal. Great book for those of us who are "in the fourth quarter."
September 29, 2024
This is a great read for any age group. Easy to read, short chapters. I read one chapter daily and the blessing, encouragement and even corrections I have received are a help in my daily Christian walk. Would really recommend this book for couples to read together or as individuals.
June 25, 2018
Helpful spiritual applications for each letter of the alphabet. Simple and personal.
September 23, 2019
Bought it as a gift but decided to read it, good for any age as we are all close to death at any moment.
Given to my mum now lol
Given to my mum now lol
July 27, 2020
Very light-hearted and true to life book about aging. We read it for a bible study and I highly recommended it.
September 13, 2021
Every retired Christian needs to take these things to heart. Great ideas.
March 29, 2022
A book of simple and beautiful wisdom from a Christian with a lifetime of experience of following God through all that life brings in a lifetime.
January 29, 2023
A good daily read as part of Bible study. (Loaned by MB)
February 1, 2024
Great advice from Derek Prime on how to process the many different aspects of aging.
July 21, 2024
Well thought out book with a lot of good reminders for a Christian moving into their older years.
November 23, 2024
Really good reminders for embracing the Christian life. My daughter got this book for me as I am now in my 70's... But this book is truth for ALL ages! Sometimes, we just need a refresher!
October 27, 2025
26 bite size, A-Z, meditations on living daily in Christ in the later years of life. Solid theology and practical applications.
Currently reading
December 13, 2025Read Intro A & B started C D for discipleship P38 Onto E for Encouragement P42
finished H page 64 P 89 I Intercession P 91 read J for joy P 95
finished H page 64 P 89 I Intercession P 91 read J for joy P 95
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews