The Good Life
Geronimo, the famous old Apache Indian chief, caused endless trouble to the white man by the constant warfare that he waged. Finally, a truce was made and Geronimo honestly tried to learn the new ways. He truly wanted his people to benefit from the many inventions and knowledge that were brought by the white men.BY HERRMANN G. BRAUNLIN Genesis 15:15
One day, he very tersely told how he felt. He said, "Apache Trail no good anymore." That just about expresses the way many of us feel about our old life. Through the years, we have resisted God; but that's no good anymore.
What would you think if Geronimo every once in a while had put on the old war paint, took up his weapons, and had a spray of killing? That's foolishness, you'd say. Well, what do you think of a Christian who every once in a while has a weekend of backsliding?
You know, the only life that is good is a life that is altogether God's - a God-yielded life. A life that is totally His.
Happy old man. A young man met an elderly man, bent, wrinkled, but humming cheerfully as he went along. The young man greeted him and said, "Why should an old man like you be so happy?"
When the old man explained that he was happy because he belonged to the Lord, the young man asked, "Are there not happy old people who do not belong to the Lord?"
The old one answered, "Take it from one who knows. No one over threescore years and ten will deny this: the devil has no happy old men."
Oh, you say, "Some old men I know, who are not Christians, seem to be the life of the party!" Ah, yes, but do you know any that are truly happy inside? I mean, deep down in them there is that spring of joy, the peace, the quietness, the song of the heart?
A promise of God. Did you know that the expression, "a good old age", is in the Bible? In Genesis 15:15, the Lord said to Abraham, "And thou shalt go to thy fathers in peace; thou shalt be buried in a good old age."
Now, that promise was fulfilled, as are all of God's promises. Abraham lived 175 years. But he not only had a long old age, he had a good old age. Not everyone who has a long life has a good one. Most don't. Many have a bitter old age. Abraham had a good old age.
Many people fear old age. It's not only because of insecurity, inconvenience and loneliness or, in some cases, privations, but because of the unknown whatever-it-is that comes after this life.
But what a blessing it is to be able to go through life walking with God, and then to have a good old age knowing that, even though a lot of our friends here slipped away from us, we're being drawn nearer and nearer and nearer to the best friend of all.
Remember the 23rd Psalm, that last verse? It says, "Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever."
My, a man who can go through life and know that every day comes from God's hand, and beyond this there is His house forever, that man has a good old age. He is a happy old man. o
Herrmann G. Braunlin is pastor emeritus of Hawthorne Gospel Church, 2000 Route 208, Hawthorne, NJ 07506.