Week 24   Day 4

a philosopher once wrote that  

            those who forget their past 

            are condemned to repeat it 

what he suggests at the very least is that 

            we should learn from our past 

            so that we will not make the same mistakes 

but our history is not only about horrors but of hope  

our history should be a kind of learning tool for us 

            not only to avoid mistakes  

            but to treasure those good experiences 

our history can be like a valued companion 

we take with us as we move forward 

            from whom we learn the wisdom of experience 

and with whom we shape a vision for the future 

we are warned about the dangers 

of trying to live in the past 

            of having eyes so focused on the past 

            that we cannot see where we are going now 

            we can value and learn from the past 

            how to avoid pitfalls and

            highlight positive experiences 

 but always we are to move forward in the Spirit 

 building and growing into the kingdom of God 

                                                                        ---rus

                              REMEMBERING THE PAST
Our God is great; full of justice, faithfulness and compassion.
                                            Nehemiah 9

     1The children of Israel were assembled with fasting, in

sackcloth, and with dust on their heads.  2Then those of

Israelite lineage separated themselves from all foreigners,

and confessed their sins and the iniquities of their fathers. 

3They read from the Law of the Lord for one-fourth of the

day; and for another fourth they confessed and worshiped.

     4Then Jeshua stood on the stairs and cried out to the Lord. 

5The Levites said:  

     "Stand up and bless the Lord your God forever and ever!

     Blessed be Your glorious name.  You alone are the Lord;

     You have made heaven, with all their host,

     The earth and everything on it, the seas and all that is in them, 

     And you preserve them all.

     7"You are the Lord God who chose Abram;

     Brought him out of Ur of the Chaldeans,

     And gave him the name Abraham. 
     You found his heart faithful,

     8And made a covenant to give the land of the Canaanites

     To his descendants.  You have performed Your words.

     9"You saw the affliction in Egypt, and heard their cry.

     10Showed signs and wonders against Pharaoh,

     11Divided the sea before them;

     12Moreover you led them by day with a cloudy pillar,

     And by night with a pillar of fire, to light the road.

     13"You came down and spoke with them from heaven,

     And gave them just laws, and a holy Sabbath.

     15You gave them bread from heaven and water from the rock.

     16But they acted proudly, hardened their necks,

     And did not heed Your commandments.

     17"But You are ready to pardon, gracious and merciful,

     Slow to anger, abundant in kindness, and did not forsake them.

     18Even when they made a molded calf for themselves,

     19The pillar of cloud did not depart from them by day,

     20You did not withhold Your manna from their mouth.

     23You multiplied their children as the stars of heaven,

     And brought them into this land.
            _{This Bible passage was condensed from the NKJV}

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