Christian Living

LIFE IS GOOD

by Morris Inch
08/15/17
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LIFE IS GOOD!

"God saw all that he had made, and it was very good" (Gen. 1:31). In context, this implies that it was functional and appealing. Humans obviously were included. Then if good, it should be embraced as such.

Moreover, God placed humans in an ideal setting, where there was abundance of provision and pleasing to experience. This recalls the pleasant garden area on the campus of our school in Jerusalem. After the heat of the day, it provided a place to find relief.

That was then, and this is now. Granted, humans thought they could improve on the situation, and as a result, they were forced to leave their cherished environ. Along with lingering adverse effects. So that we might conclude that life is good only as it is lived according to God’s instruction. Conversely, it appears that life retains something of its original character. If a qualified good, then still good.

Having already lived a full life, I tend to view matters in retrospect. Fortunately, I have been blessed with relatively good health. So that recently my doctor inquired, "Are you really ninety-one?" This may have been of humorous intent.

Mother conceived me beyond the time when women usually give birth, and while not in good health. Even so, I doubt that she ever seriously considered abortion as an option. Years later, she observed: "I can’t recall that you ever did anything wrong." This took me by surprise, so that I concluded that love must have a short memory. Yes, I cherish those early years, during which my mother served as the primary care giver and my father worked long hours in his general store.

My two sisters were away at school by the time that I began to play an active role in the family circle. My brother and I usually got along well together, with few exceptions. So that I on one occasion asked him, "When did you stop picking on me?" Without a moment’s hesitation, he replied: "When you got to be bigger than me."As a matter of fact, I came to focus on the good times we shared together. Life was good!

However, circumstances changed abruptly. The day after my eighteenth birthday I left for military service during World War II. Sometime later I was deployed overseas. My mother had a premonition that I would not return. Needless to say, I did return. It was one of my most memorable incidents when I returned to my parental home.

While in the military, I spoke with the chaplain. He attempted to explain the gospel to me, but with little success. However, one thing caught my attention: Jesus’ promise "whoever comes to me I will never drive away" (John 6:37). At this, I said to myself: "If you can’t believe Jesus, who can you believe?" So I decided to follow Jesus, and have persisted. This served to lift life to a higher level. If good before, eminently more so now.

It has been my privilege to serve in various capacities. Consequently, I came to the conclusion that it is more blessed to serve than to be served. So when I was asked whether I resented not being payed more for my labors, the question failed to grasp my priorities.

My wife Joan and our five children, subsequent grandchildren and great grandchildren have been an accumulated blessing to me. As in my early years, the family has continue to play a critical role in my appraisal of life. I wish that others were so fortunate.

Then, too, I am persuaded that the best is yet to come. In brief, learn from the past, live toward the future, and engage in the present. Likewise, anticipate great things from God. Having done so, undertake great things in his name.

Given this line of reasoning, the good things we experience in life are an earnest of things to come. Thus are we encouraged to press on in the journey to the celestial city. While in terms of the lyric refrain, "When the saints go marching in, when the saints go marching in, I want to be in that number, when the saints go marching in."