Lessons from the Past

Only two months left, and we will find ourselves at the end of 2020.  Looking back, there are many parts of the year 2020 we would have liked to skip over.  Instead of complaining, however, it is best to remember God has a purpose for everything He allows in our lives.  Perhaps there are even lessons learned throughout the challenging months of 2020 which will be of benefit for years to come.

This morning, as I was doing my Bible reading for the day, I found myself in 2 Chronicles, chapters 29-32.  According to one study Bible I have, this book was written between 425 and 400 BC.  That is a long time ago!  And still, as I read through the passages, I found lessons I could apply to my life today.

These chapters cover the life of a man named Hezekiah, who was 25 ears old when he became king of Israel.  At the beginning of his reign, he discovered the temple of the Lord was in need of repairing.  He called on the priests and Levites, and told them to get to work.  They proceeded to purify the temple following the word of the Lord.  Sacrifices and offerings were made, and according to verse 30 of chapter 29, "they sang praises with gladness, and bowed their heads and worshiped".

Following this, at King Hezekiah's command, couriers went throughout both Israel and Judah with a message asking the people to return to the Lord.  He told them not to be stiff-necked, to submit to the Lord, and to serve the Lord.  In the 12th verse of chapter 30, we are told the hand of God was on the people to give them unity of mind, following the word of the Lord.

Back in these times, there were feasts to celebrate, and rules about being ceremonially clean in order to participate.  Many who wanted to be a part of what was happening weren't considered "clean" or "purified", so King Hezekiah offered a prayer on their behalf:

"May the Lord, who is good, pardon everyone who sets his heart on seeking God--the Lord, the God of his fathers--even if he is not clean according to the rules of the sanctuary. -2 Chronicles 30:18b-19    

In the following verse, we are told the Lord heard Hezekiah and healed the people.  Later, in chapter 31, we are told Hezekiah sought his God in everything he undertook, working wholeheartedly, and because of this, he prospered.

Looking back over the reading, I found several lessons we can apply during these challenging days of 2020:

        1.  Examine the condition of "the temple of the Lord".  Moving from Old Testament thinking to New Testament, we find in 1 Corinthians 3:16 we ourselves are God's temple, and God's Spirit lives in us.  So, how is the condition of your personal "temple"?  What does God see when He looks into your heart?

        2.  Singing praises with gladness, and bowing our heads in worship are important.

        3.  Those who set their heart on seeking God, no matter their current condition, will be pardoned and healed by God.

        4.  When we seek God in everything we undertake, then work wholeheartedly at it, God will reward us with prosperity.

So many are thinking the outcome of today's election will determine the state of our country going forward.  As it turns out, a change in the country starts with a change in each individual heart.  Are you ready to do your part?  Perhaps, hundreds of years from now, someone will look back on how we handled things in 2020 and learn a lesson or two.  My prayer is the lessons learned will be ones based on the truths in God's Word, and not the selfishness of mankind.  

Homecoming Week

The following blog entry was written a month ago, but was not posted.  Sharing now, and praying blessings over all your "homecoming memories". . .

We turned the calendar over to October this week.  With the new month, we have been seeing more and more fall colors, a brisk coolness is in the air, and, at the local school, it was Homecoming Week.  Thinking back to my own days of Homecoming back in the early 70's, lots of memories came to mind.  

There was always a contest between classes to come up with a float for the Homecoming Parade.  The students spent evenings at the Sports Arena stuffing napkins into chicken wire which had been formed into some type of football theme.  Queen candidates were selected from the Junior and Senior Class girls, and a campaign ensued with signs covering the walls of the school to entice votes. Typically, all the Senior football players where the King candidates.  A football game against a rival team would hopefully culminate in a win, followed by a bonfire to celebrate, and possibly a Homecoming dance.

Each day of the week was assigned a special "theme".  Usually one of the days was an "oldies day", which meant we were to be dressed like students of the 50's.  Fast forwarding to when my own kids were in high school, the "oldies day" meant digging out my box of "memory clothes" so my kids would have something to wear!  What precious memories!

Over the past 10-20 years, Homecoming had become rather ho-hum.  No longer were there parades, and the bonfires had long ago been deemed too dangerous.  Crowning of the King and Queen was always a big production after the football game, with the girls dolled up in fancy dresses, and the guys looking sharp in a shirt and tie.  This was fine, but gave them no time to "reign" as the events of the week were behind them.

Enter our new high school principal.  He brought with him some ideas. . .or perhaps better stated, he brought back some of the old ideas in a new way.  The King and Queen were crowned early in the week, giving them a full week of being royalty.  A group of students headed downtown to decorate the store windows.  

On Friday, a parade was held, featuring a color guard, law enforcement vehicles, the football players decked out in their maroon jerseys, and a float with the royal court.  Behind was the rest of the student body, minus those in the band, which was assembled in front of the courthouse to play the National Anthem (no knees were taken) and the School Song.  Several local businesses also provided floats, and smiles were plentiful as this "first time in many years" parade took place on a beautiful day of sunshine.

In the evening, the team came away with a 36-6 win at the football game, and a dance took place in the school parking lot.  It is safe to say the students filed away their own set of precious memories to look back on 40+ years from now!

It was also a different kind of Homecoming week.  Yesterday we laid to rest a man who, with his family, had been our nearest neighbors on the farm I lived on from ages 10-19.  He was the last of my dad's generation of farmers who kept the township acres producing crops year after year.  One by one, their farming was taken over, usually by a son, and some have even been handed down yet another generation.  Somehow it seemed fitting to have his funeral just prior to the Homecoming Parade, as I thought of the heavenly gathering of farmers who had welcomed him to his eternal home.

Finally, this afternoon, we received news of another death.  In my closest circle of friends from school days, there were six of us.  All but one of us have lost both parents, and the sixth only had her mother still living.  Today, she joined us in the "orphan club" as her mother had her heavenly homecoming early this morning.

Looking back, my eyes filled with tears as I processed the news.  This mother had been hostess to many a gathering of friends "back in the day", always with a kind and loving heart.  With a family of seven kids of her own, she never minded having the "extras" thrown in.  Blessed be her memory!

As I look at the events happening in our world, I can't help but wonder if the "Final Homecoming" trumpet will soon be blown.  Since none of us knows the day or hour, it is best to always be ready.  Are you?  If not, open your heart to receive the free gift of salvation God offers us through the death of His only Son on the cross, which was miraculously followed by an exciting Resurrection Sunday.  If you are among those who believe, don't sit idle.  According to 2 Peter 3:9, the Lord isn't willing that any should perish, and it's up to us, as His modern day disciples, to spread His Word in our hurting world.