Transition

September 28, 2007, 9:45 am; posted by
Filed under Articles, David  | 2 Comments

How so like warfare,
my life has now become,
We pause but to bury the dead,
and speak of peace to come.
Age of War, D. Sweet

I’m getting older. Among the myriad ways this creeping thought has insinuated itself into my mind is the fact that the only time I get together with my oldest friends here now is for funerals — to bury our dead. It’s a sad thought and it makes me pensive.

When I was young my mother sang:

Those were the days my friend
We thought they’d never end
We’d sing and dance forever and a day
We’d live the life we choose
We’d fight and never lose
For we were young and sure to have our way.
La la la la la la la la la la la la
Those were the days, oh yes, those were the days!

The song brings to mind the invincibility we felt when we were young, my friends and me. We really did think that we were the generation destined to change the world. We thought revival would spring forth from the fervent prayers and tears with which we carpeted the altar of our church on Sunday evenings; but the world, it would seem, has stayed the same, still awaiting that glorious appearing of the sons of God. We streamed forward at nearly every service singing…though none go with me, still I will follow, no turning back, no turning back…and yet so many have turned back. I remember their names, each one, and I lift them up before You, Lord.

Back then we thought that the strong young men who stood beside us, and the blazing hearts of the young handmaidens set for battle, would never know defeat. The world was ours, victory assured, yet where did they go? Perhaps, as Jeremiah says, “…those appointed to death, to death; those appointed to war, to war; those appointed to famine, to famine; those appointed to captivity, to captivity.”

Those appointed to jobs, to jobs; those appointed to heartbreak, to heartbreak; those appointed to divorce, to divorce; those appointed to the battle, perhaps to the battle still.

And so young man, young woman, we leave you the Kingdom. May your prayers be more fervent, your tears burn hotter, than ours ever did. May you never grow weary in well doing, knowing that in due time, we shall reap, if we faint not. May you always realize that unto you are given the keys of the Kingdom, and that which you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven, and that which you bind on earth will be bound in heaven. Bind up the brokenhearted, loose the bands of affliction, and know that you are strong, for the word of God abides within you.

And know that it is your time.


Comments

2 Comments to “Transition”

  1. katherine Sweet on September 29th, 2007 12:08 am

    we miss you….

  2. David on September 29th, 2007 10:26 am

    We miss you too…

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