Thought For Today - July 18, 2022
No Light in the window - Reflections of a Visit to my homestead I knew growing up as a child, now forsaken and forlorn
By: Robert A. Searles
There is no one at home tonight at the old home place. No light in the
window, no fire in the hearth, no friendly voices of welcome as in days
gone by. Once there was a mother's prayer, a father's strong arm and
the light of love and faith, and the aroma of life, where now only
barren and void stands the old homestead, beat upon by the rain of
summer, the winds and storms of winter, and torn by the lashing torrent
of the passing of time.
Abandoned and alone it stands like the cast off shell of something that
once was alive, slowly moldering, and decaying, and returning unto the
dust, like the shells of those whose voices once caused its' rooms to
vibrate and resound with laughter. Where are the former tenants of so forlorn a place? Is there no one to
light a fire in the hearth? Is there no one to put a light in the
window? Is there no one who cares that I have come home from the wars: -
the battle of good and evil; of right and wrong; of righteousness and
unrighteousness? Is there no one to welcome me and succor me? No! time
was, time has been, time is gone, time waits for no man. One by one I
have watched them go down the valley to meet the lover of their souls.
It is said that life is forever, and there is no end of love. Ah! what
blessed truth! Our Lord and Savior said: "I am the resurrection and the
life: he that believeth in me , though he were dead, yet shall he live,
and whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die." John 11:
25,26.
They believed and they trusted, and so they occupy stately mansions in a
far off country. Jesus said: "In my Father's house are many mansions.
If it were not so I would have told you." John 14: 2
I shall turn and go forever from the old home place which is abandoned
and alone, and torn by the passing of time. Return to your dust from
whence you came. Never again will a light shine from your windows to
light my pathway. Never again will a fire burn in your hearth to warm my
soul, never again will I hear on earth those voices so dear to me. Fall
into your dust ye abandoned and desolate relic of time and space, for
these mortals have put on immortality."O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?" 1
Corinthians 15: 55. Know ye not that on the resurrection morning the
trumpet of God shall sound and the dead in Christ shall arise?
In that far off country, in my Father's house there is a light shinning
to guide me home. There is an un-extinguishable fire of God's love and
mercy burning on the hearth. There are those who are waiting to welcome
me home from the wars: the battles of good and evil; right and wrong;
righteousness and unrighteousness. When my life's work is over, when I
have fought a good fight, when I have run the race, then I too shall
make my way down the valley to meet the lover of my soul. I shall walk
up the lane to my Father's house and receive the welcome of my Lord.
Then, I hope to see the ones I cannot see tonight.
Father, if you see mother first, tell her that her prayers were not in
vain. Tell her that I love her and I will be coming home from the wars
one day soon. Mother, if you see dad first, tell him that his labors
were not in vain. Jesus, tell those I love that I love you, because you
first loved me and gave yourself for me. Tell them that I want to work
for you and serve you a while longer here on earth so that I might tell
the good news of your amazing grace to save the lost, and bear fruit to
your glory, but some day we will meet at the marriage supper of the Lamb
and renew old acquaintances and rejoice forever in the presence of our
Savior in the eternal mansions on high.
Dedicated to the memory of my father and mother,Arthur and Annie Searles, at home with the Lord.
Telehelp Publications Christian Literature Ministy
Psalm 26:7
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