There’s a Russian proverb which says: “Dwell in the past and you’ll lose an eye. Forget the past and you’ll lose both eyes.” This is particularly important for those who follow God because we learn so much about him from history. As we consider how he has led his people through thousands of years, we see his faithfulness, love, kindness and generosity. The psalmist looked back to the time of Moses when God gave the law on Sinai. This was a foundational time for the people of Israel, giving shape to every aspect of their life together and with God. The psalmist then recalled the time of Deborah, when the earth shook as God fought for his people. All of this led up to the time of David, when the Ark of the Covenant was brought up to Jerusalem with great rejoicing. Every step of the journey had shown them more about the nature of their God.

We have the blessing of being able to read the Bible and see how God led his people through that whole period, but we have more. Since the Bible was written, we have almost 2,000 years of history in which God has revealed himself to millions of people across the world. Anyone who claims that history is dull clearly hasn’t taken the trouble to read about the amazing ways in which God has led his people through times of plenty, of persecution, of growth and of war. There is even more than that. Our churches have a story to tell of God’s goodness and provision. Many have faithful members who have been around for decades, and hearing their stories builds faith and confidence in God, allowing us to have both eyes open to the exciting things that God wants to do in our own day.

In what ways are you inspired by what God has done in history?

Loving God, thank you that you have been at work amongst men and women through thousands of years. Help me to listen to the past and get to know you better. Amen