Do not say, “Why is it that the former days were better than these?” For it is not from wisdom that you ask about this. (NASB)
When I was young, I remember visiting my father’s relatives who often recounted the days of their youth. If you were a casual listener, you would think that those good ‘ole days were really something special. After all, driving a car without a license in Brooklyn, heading to the beach on a carefree summer afternoon, or hanging out with the boys just couldn’t be beat.
As a child hearing such talk, I began to believe that the best days had already passed by. Growing up, the news was filled with civil rights struggles, the war in Vietnam, surging inflation, and a host of other societal ills. Soon, I began to feel that the better days were in the past!
The children of Israel also thought that some of their better times were those days when they were living under Pharaoh’s rule. In Exodus 14, Pharaoh’s army was in hot pursuit of the escaping Israelites who believed that they would soon be overtaken by the Egyptian army. In their fear they complained that the former days under Egyptian tyranny were better than the freedom they now had.
I’ve been guilty myself with thinking that certain times of my life were better than others. If I look back on my sin-filled years, I can remember the momentary pleasure but forget the absolute despondency that accompanied my sin. Truthfully, whatever thrills I got when doing wrong were outweighed by the guilt that I felt.
Like the Children of Israel who were soon to experience a tremendous miracle in the parting of the Red Sea, our best days are yet to come. God is saving the best for when we are with Him in heaven, but He also wants us to know that He’ll part the Red Seas in our lives if we wait upon Him.
The Good ‘Ole Days are our times with the Lord. Sin may hold a momentary appeal, but nothing compares to experiencing the joy of the Lord in your life.
