Читать книгу Beyond the Horizon - Harry A. Renfree - Страница 62

February 25

In the battle of life, stalemate is an all—too—prevalent state of affairs. In chess, a stalemate is a situation that results in a drawn game. No one can move effectively. The game has come to a standstill. So does life for some.

Paul had a sort of soliloquy in writing the early part of his letter to the Philippians. Like others, this letter was written while Paul was in prison—chained like a common criminal. Although he had enjoyed a fruitful life, it had not been easy—marked as it was by beatings, stonings, shipwrecks, incarcerations, and sometimes even the opposition of his friends. He could well have felt by that time that it was someone else’s turn. I’m sure all of these thoughts were passing through his mind as he wrote:

For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body. Convinced of this, I know that I will remain, and I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith (Philippians 1:21–25).

Some of us may feel that we don’t have any more to offer. We’ve reached a kind of stalemate. Actually, we have quite a bit to contribute to the oncoming generations. We lived in the world where marriage and the family were cherished, where good manners and courtesy were esteemed, and where violence was decried. We can do as the Lord revealed to Jeremiah: “Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it” (Jeremiah 6:16a,b). Or we can simply tell it quietly to a younger friend.

There is still work to do.