“O boundless salvation, deep ocean of love! O fullness of mercy Christ brought from above. The whole world redeeming, so rich and so free. Now flowing for all men, now flowing for all men. Now flowing for all men – come roll over me!” William Booth
“O boundless salvation, deep ocean of love! O fullness of mercy Christ brought from above. The whole world redeeming, so rich and so free. Now flowing for all men, now flowing for all men. Now flowing for all men – come roll over me!” William Booth.
I attended four years of study at Canadian Bible College – our Alliance school in Canada – during the 70’s. It was the swell of the Baby Boom – Bible colleges all over were in their heyday and I joined an eager group of young adults all seeking the Lord’s will for their life. The above photo was my dorm room one year (I had to retouch it because these photos have faded badly with time).
This last weekend I attended a reunion of sorts for those who went to CBC in the 70’s. Thirty-two of us showed up and we had a great time, including singing “O Boundless Salvation” that was a highlight of our chapel times together (hearing 500 young adults singing this hymn loudly in a hard surface gym has to be experienced live). Most of us are retired or near retired now – so what did I see as I sat with peers who have kept the faith?
• We don’t live forever. The ‘bright young men and women with promise’ are now ‘older men and women looking back.’ Some of our number have died – one of my close friends has been gone a decade already. Some of our number have significant health concerns – at one time we could study all night before an exam with only a cold cheeseburger to keep us company – but no more.
• Our input time is short. When we are in the trenches of ministry or business, time can sometimes crawl. We look ahead to retirement, and it seems a long way off. But now as we look back to our peak productive years, they were relatively few. In the snap of fingers, the world is on to new people!
• Focus turns to family. We proudly showed off photos of how our families have grown, but we also shared of those who are wandering, and we realize that our prayer efforts land among our family more and more. It becomes our little mission field to see children and grandchildren respond to Christ.
• We lay our crowns at Jesus’ feet. Baby Boomers grew up in heady times in North America – we were tuned to think that things would go up and to the right – success and gain was the order of the day. But the Christian life isn’t always like that, and among my peers there were some devastating losses. One missionary couple planted five churches, and none of them exist today. Really, in the end, we do what we feel we are called to do and leave the results to God. He doesn’t reward ‘up and to the right’ (although sometimes that happens) – He rewards faithful servants.
• We look older outside, but we are still young inside. “Therefore, we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all” II Cor 4:16,17. The older we get, the more precious the thought that one day we will inherit a body suited to eternal things!
As you look on your life – wherever you are at on the journey – what is the Lord impressing upon you? What are you observing – about yourself, about your input, about your family, about your faith? Step back from the rat race for a bit and let the Lord talk to you…
Pastor Leon Throness
