Nearing Home by Billy Graham (best book club books for discussion txt) 📗

reminded of a young teenager who pulled up a chair beside his grandfather and said, “Poppy, the wrinkles on your face are starting to cover up the scar you are so proud of!” The wise grandfather smiled, patted the boy on the back, and said, “Son, scars, wrinkles, and rusty bones have lots of stories to tell.” That afternoon, the grandson learned about his heritage. A few years later, he enlisted in the United States military. When asked why, he replied, “I want to earn my scars and wrinkles like my grandfather did.”

The world’s idea of a fountain of youth is a mirage. Only the Bible provides an oasis for the soul: “The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life” (Proverbs 14:27). To grasp the meaning of this verse, we must first understand what “fear of the LORD” means. It is contrary to being afraid of Him. God would not have sent His Son to earth to communicate with us if He wanted humanity to be fearful of approaching Him. This wonderful phrase throughout Scripture is a reminder to be in reverential awe of God, to love Him with our whole being and commit ourselves joyfully to Him in all things: “Love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength” (Deuteronomy 6:5 NKJV). The apostle John said it this way: “Keep away from anything that might take God’s place in your hearts” (1 John 5:21 NLT).

Here we see a wonderful picture of a fountain that flows with life-giving blessings: “For you are the fountain of life, the light by which we see” (Psalm 36:9 NLT); “The words of the godly are a life-giving fountain” (Proverbs 10:11 NLT); “The instruction of the wise is like a life-giving fountain” (Proverbs 13:14 NLT); and “Discretion is a life-giving fountain” (Proverbs 16:22 NLT). Then the Lord Jesus sums it all up in the closing book of the Bible: “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts. He who overcomes shall inherit all things” (Revelation 21:6–7 NKJV).

The fountain of life is real, friends. We can draw strength from its resources and stand strong in our resolve to be overcomers, looking forward to the inheritance and being in the presence of the Savior of our souls. Though the eyes of the tired, overworked, and aged may dim, His light will pour into our hearts. While the lips of the elderly may be silenced, godly words will continue to flow through our beings. When hearing is a challenge, wise instruction can run through our innermost thoughts. While many may lose their ability to make decisions, others will benefit from their experiences as they also blaze new trails.

Some time ago I met an acquaintance I hadn’t seen for at least twenty-five years. As we shook hands the thought flashed through my mind, My goodness, he’s turned into an old man! (He probably thought the same about me.) When I had last seen him, he was tall and athletic; now he was stooped and wrinkled, trembling slightly and leaning heavily on his cane. He was still the same person, but the years had taken their toll.

Later it occurred to me that if we had seen each other every few months instead of only once in twenty-five years, we’d probably not have noticed any changes. As a rule growing older is an extended, gradual process; we don’t go to bed young one night and suddenly wake up old the next day. Just as life is a journey of many steps, so is that part we commonly call the golden years. And yet if we live long enough, old age inevitably will overtake us.

We may not like to admit this; we may even deny it and devote our energies to keeping old age at bay. Cosmetic companies and plastic surgeons promise to keep us looking youthful if we will only use their products or submit to their services; vitamin manufacturers claim their wares can retard the aging process; exercise gurus and medical experts point to the benefits of healthy living. Up to a point some of their claims may be valid. Careful attention to our health may slow down the aging process and ward off some of its more onerous effects—at least for a time. This isn’t necessarily wrong; God wants us to take care of our bodies. The Bible says, “Honor God with your body” (1 Corinthians 6:20).

In reality some people seem to have stronger genes and age more slowly than others. Some are old at sixty; others seem almost ageless. As I dictate this, my longtime associate and friend George Beverly Shea has just celebrated his 102nd birthday, and he is still alert and sprightly. Several months ago he spent a couple of days sharing his music with prisoners at Louisiana State Penitentiary in Angola, Louisiana, one of our nation’s largest prisons. Shortly after his birthday he and his wife, Karlene, journeyed to Hollywood, where he was honored with a lifetime Grammy Award for his singing career—the oldest person ever to receive that prestigious (and well-deserved) honor.

Within days of Bev’s return, he and Cliff Barrows, who has served with me in ministry from the beginning, participated in one of Bill Gaither’s Homecoming videos taped at the Billy Graham Library. The outdoor concert was taped under an enormous tent with 140 Gospel music artists on the platform. Cliff at age 88 and Bev at age 102 sat on stage singing with the others the great songs of faith way into the night. When Bill and Gloria Gaither came to my home for a visit the next day, they told me how Cliff walked to the center of the platform and led the great choir and congregation in singing “Blessed Assurance.” Others reported to me that in spite of Cliff’s cane, he directed that night with “gusto.” I have seen