A word fitly spoken is like APPLES OF GOLD in a setting of silver – Proverbs 25v11
Like many young people I found History boring at school and agreed with the famous Henry Ford who said “History is bunk”. However, the rest of his quote is important- “It’s tradition. We don’t want tradition. We want to live in the present, and the only history that is worth anything is the history that we make today.” Ford was talking about moving forward and being innovative and not being a prisoner of past methods and failures. He is best known for revolutionising car manufacture by introducing the assembly line. This meant huge savings in time and money which enabled him to sell his Model T at such a low price that even his workers could afford to buy one. The question we need to ask ourselves is “are we making history today” or are we prisoners of tradition and our comfort zone. Maybe you are basking in the success of your past – Christians can never “retire” from Christian service. Like Ford we must make our history now because there is a ‘race to be run’ and a prize still to be won as Paul tells us in Philippians 3v13 -“But one thing I do: forgetting what is behind and straining towards what is ahead, I press on towards the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenwards in Christ Jesus”. Friends, the Lord didn’t just save you so you will go to Heaven one day, but He has a special purpose for your life now which is to bring Glory to Him. Sadly there are too many Christians who are shackled by their past failures, guilt and loss. The greatest “goalscorers” for Christ were murderers (St.Paul), deniers (St. Peter), slave traders (John Newton who wrote the famous hymn Amazing Grace), adulterers (David), etc. They understood and believed 1 John 1v9 “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous, so that He will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness”. So friends forget the past, because Christ has forgiven you and forgotten your failures, and begin making history today and glorify Him. “But as for you, brothers and sisters, do not grow weary of doing good”- 2 Thessalonians 3v13.
Next week we will look at whether Winston Churchill was right when he said “Those that fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it.”
God Bless
Graeme Greenwood