Torch, Fall 1986

five years old... . Now therefore give me this mountain ... " (Joshua 14: 10, 12). He could make this claim because he had followed the Lord fully , completely, and faithfully through the years. His convictions and his conduct never changed . At 85 he was "wholehearted, " because he had been that way at 45 . He never permitted anyone or anything to make him otherwise . Storms of life did not ruin his fruit of old age. Caleb was a senior citizen with the vision, the determination , and the expectation of a teenager. The mountain that belonged to him by promise was to become his by possession. He was an old man with a mountain on his mind and he didn't quit until he got it. THE GIVING HEART Barzillai was a wealthy man from Gilead who became one of David ' s friends (II Samuel 17:27-29). "Now Barzillai was a very aged man , even fourscore years old: and he had provided the king of sustenance while he lay at Mahanaim ; for he was a very great man" (2 Samuel 19:32). Because of his kindness to the king, David wanted to care for him in his old age, but this unusual old man assured the king, "I am this day fourscore years old .. . . why should the king recompense it me with such a reward? ... the king kissed Barzillai , and blessed him , and he returned unto his own place" (2 Samuel 19 :35,36,39). There was nothing selfish about this 80-year-old servant of the king. He turned down a room in the royal palace because he didn't want a reward for being kind to the king. He felt his services were trivial and unworthy of any reward. But David never forgot him. On his deathbed the king told Solomon, his son, "Show kindness unto the sons of Barzillai .. ." (I Kings 2:7). Barzillai was not afraid to die . Alexander Whyte wrote, "Barzillai, having shown us how to live, shows us also how to die. " Barzillai died the same devout, noble, magnanimous man he was all his days. Herbert Lockyer notes , " If ours is grace to live well , grace will be given to die well. " THE CONCERNED HEART One has only to read the record of the Apostle Paul to realize that he was a man with a heart for people. He had a burden to win the lost to Christ and a concern to help those who had been redeemed . This attribute is seen in Paul ' s life even during the last days of his journey on earth. One cannot read 2 Timothy without sensing something of his burden and his genuine concern that was so much a part of his earthly ministry. Another illustration of Paul ' s concern is found in the little book of Philemon . Onesimus, a slave, had run away from his master. He had come to Rome , and Paul had led him to Christ. The newly-converted slave now felt responsible to go back to his master, Philemon. Paul was anxious that Onesimus would be accepted upon his return. To influence his friend Philemon, the great apostle used love, his imprisonment at Rome, God's work of grace in the heart of the redeemed slave (whom he called " . . .a brother beloved ... in the Lord"), and his own age(" ... I rather appeal to thee , being such a one as Paul, the aged . .. ") . Remember, Paul was in prison; he had won a slave to Christ. Just before Paul's martyrdom he was concerned about the future of this new convert. Perhaps all of us who are or eventually will be aged can be much younger in heart if we ask God to enable us to love others as Paul did. These and many other biblical characters demonstrate to all of us that we never become too old to serve the Lord. Loving and serving the Saviour will keep us from being discouraged , depressed, or sour in spirit and usefulness. May God give us the faithful witness of Anna , the youthful determination of Caleb , the giving spirit of Barzillai , and the personal concern of Paul. 5