The Good Old Days

On this first day of the week, a day of worship and praise, a Sabbath Day to the Lord, we look straightway to the title of today’s offering. Whenever we see, or hear about, the good old days, it usually is not just reminiscing about them, but wanting to see some of the good old days, in our modern times.

Don’t you sometimes wish and yearn for some of the good old days? I do, and at times it can make me feel sad and solemn, especially when it comes to the things of God. I must confess that on occasions, like many of you, when I listen to audios of God’s servants from centuries ago, I wish for those good old days of Gospel preaching. I long for those days when the Gospel was not watered down or weakened, for fear of anything or anyone.

When I was told the title of this meditation, my mind went straight to a calypsonian of long ago, from my country, who sang a calypso with some lyrics which spoke of bringing back the good old days. Here are these words, penned by the Mighty Sparrow.

Mamaguism have to stop, so take my advice,

Is time to wake up and open your eyes,

Bring back the good old days,

Let the Lord be praised and leave the devil and his wicked ways.

Francisco Slinger, his given name, was commenting on bringing back truth, honesty, godliness, Christlikeness and all the Christian virtues and values which were vigorously upheld in the past. To bring back the good old days, simply means that we have strayed far away from Sovereign Father God, and we need now to return to all that we were taught, all we once knew and lived.

Let me share this experience, which totally brought new light and dimension to my understanding of the good old days. It was an ordinary Sunday morning, early Communion Lord’s Day service. It was very early, before the scheduled start of Church, and as I went to take a seat, there, in a couple pews behind, was a person whose face I knew, as soon as I saw her. This is what I knew. She was a person I knew from long ago. I greeted her very cordially, and she the same. I could not remember her name, but I knew her and knew her well. I knew that she was a visitor to the church, and my mind began to think of her, trying to make connections.

It was only, during the period in the service, when the steward on duty announced that there was one visitor, and called her first name that everything came rushing back. I mean, it was a complete reeling off of the good old days. O how an aura of happiness, excitement, and instant gratitude took hold of me.

At the conclusion of the service, I could hardly wait to go and speak with her. We spoke for a bit, with hugs upon hugs, as we both were remembering the good old days. So taken was I, that I told those standing around us, about it, whether they wanted to hear or not. Nevertheless, while reminiscing on the good old days, in an island that became my first home, away from home, our Lord brought me to several truths, which have etched themselves on my mind. These all have been not just new for me, but very refreshing, indeed.

This sentiment, of wanting the good old days to return, is given voice in the Bible. Though it may come in different words and styles, careful study shows that in essence, they mean the same. Let’s be clear in our minds, however, that this longing, this remembering, this asking and wanting of the return of the good old days, is not just an empty wish, or mere sentimental froth. It is not like one who keeps saying, I must return to my former days of spending time in communion with God, listening to His voice and receiving His teachings, but continues to busy himself or herself with the cares and demands of the world. Indeed not! When we are brought to such deep longing for the good old days, it means that we will do all that is necessary, all that it takes, to know them once more.

During this week, all of us who are having these deep desires and calls for the good old days, all who are being made to face the frightening shift from Jesus the Way, the Truth and the Life, to look-alikes, will receive strength and help to know change.