In this present crisis and our lock-down situation, I'm sure I'm not the only one who has turned to history to occupy my time. Like many, I'm addicted to the past and have many books on my shelves that wouldn't look out of place in the history section of a school library. That said, my particular brand of history isn't taught in school ... at least, it wasn't when I was there, although I've a suspicion that things may have changed a little now.
I'm talking about family history. It began long ago when I made a list of all my father's brothers and sisters and asked questions about them. I've now built up a database of over 5,000 names, and it's still increasing. Of course, it's not just my direct ancestors; there are their descendants, all of whom are various degrees of cousin, but also their spouses, parents, and all sorts, many of whom are not strictly my relatives at all, but lines I've followed up because they look interesting.
For what distinguishes family history from simple genealogy (a list of fathers' names, like in Matthew chapter 1) is the background stories. One source of this additional detail is the wills they left and, with a little guidance, it's quite possible - and extremely interesting - to read these strange documents. What was hidden, as if in a foreign language, can be revealed and understood.
To find such documents, one must search an archive; until recently, the only way was by personal visit but, with more and more being available on line, that is so much easier now and at less cost. So long as the archive fulfils its purpose, history is not lost. But if there's a tragic fire - during a war, for example - then not only the documents, but the historic detail they contain, is lost forever.
I recall some while ago suffering just such a loss at home. I wanted to trace the name of a shop in Bristol that I'd been to a few years earlier. I knew I should find it in my financial archives on the computer. Panic! Somehow I must have checked a wrong box in the archiving process, and the file for that year just wasn't readable: the filename was there, but it had no volume, no contents. That block of data was completely erased! But then common sense began to assert itself. I asked myself, what actually was the extent of that loss? The transactions in that archive were no longer live; the cost has long since been borne, the debts paid; the records, if there, would be no more than history.
Now, I can hear you asking, what has all this to do with my usual Christian message? Have the isolation and my twin obsessions with family history and money finally nudged my mind out of kilter? Not at all. Just take a look at Isaiah 44:21-22 ... aren't these the words of a devoted father, pining over his child sulking in the corner because he can't bring himself to face up to some dreadful misdeed? Isn't this the way he looks at us through the lens of Jesus' death and resurrection?
Friday, 15 May 2020
Friday, 1 May 2020
But This is How We've Always Done it!
If they were to examine my life day by day, week by week, some people might think I'm on the verge of suffering from OCD ... Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. If it's true, then I suggest 'enjoying' rather than 'suffering from' would be more appropriate. I prefer the description 'a creature of habit': habits that bring me a degree of mental or emotional comfort. One such habit is a preference - OK, obsession if you wish - for consistency in such things as document layout, which helps make me a good proof-reader. I realised the other day that it stretches to filing, too. I couldn't remember how I file a particular set of documents and, rather than reason it out logically, I looked back to see how I'd done it before and followed the existing pattern, right or wrong.
Looking back to former things might be all right for filing, but it's not always a good idea to preserve past ways. The policy of 'Grand-daddy did it' is not a good one in the changing climates of the 21st century and we can find Biblical precedents, too, where it has been condemned.
When they escaped from the oppression of living under Pharoah's rule in Egypt, the Israelites hadn't gone far before they discovered that this adventure of going to a Promised Land was not going to be an easy one. They had barely crossed the Red Sea when the grumbles began. They looked up and saw the Egyptian hordes close behind them. Exodus 14:10-12 describes their reaction. They would rather have stayed where they were than be slaughtered as they feared at that moment.
Once out in the desert, they needed food; God provided manna for them to collect every morning. They were told not to keep it overnight: there would be more tomorrow. But the habit of storing food was clearly a strong part of their psyche and one not easily given up. Some of them did keep the manna, only to find that it was smelly and full of maggots the next day (Exodus 16:20). The need for a daily collection quickly became the norm, however, ... until the day before the Sabbath. Moses explained that, on this day, they should collect for two days and save what was left at the end of the first (16:23). Some decided to follow the newly acquired 'daily' habit instead of listening to fresh instructions ... and had a wasted journey the next morning (16:27), to the exasperation of the Lord (16:28-29).
Then there was a need for water; the 'Grumble Council' was in action again (17:2-3). Seeking a divine response, Moses was told to strike a particular rock with his staff and they were provided with water (17:6). The book of Numbers relates a similar incident later on their travels. In that case, there were grumblings, not only about the lack of water, but also about the lovely food they'd had in Egypt that they couldn't get there in the desert (Numbers 20:3-5). This time, however, it was Moses himself who followed past habits instead of listening to instructions.
The Lord had told him to take his staff with him and speak to the rock (Numbers 20:8). Moses was exasperated with the people and gave them a good telling off, before acting. Then he resorted to past tactics (Exodus 17:6, also 7:20, when he had struck the water of the Nile with his staff and turned it to blood). Having spoken to the people, he struck the rock - twice - and the people got the water they needed. The Lord, however, was not pleased by this disobedience and punished Moses (Numbers 20:12).
Paul, too, had 'Grand-daddy did it' problems. He was constantly fighting to keep the infant churches he'd established properly on track in their new-found faith in Jesus. We can read one of the angriest passages in his letters in that sent to the Galatians: "You foolish Galatians!" he exclaimed, "Who has bewitched you?" We can almost hear him shout as he dictated (Gal. 3:1). The circumstances that led to this outburst aren't neatly encapsulated in a couple of verses but if you read the previous chapters you'll get the idea. Basically it's a question of relinquishing a slavish - and failing - adherence to the Law as the path to salvation, and accepting that Jesus' death was all that was necessary to meet the Law's demands.
The challenge that faced the Galatians is the same one that faces us today. Do we want to go back to the old ways, struggling to keep a set of rules? Put another way, are we seeking to fit Jesus into our old lives when we should be moulding our lives into Jesus' way, the Way of the Cross?
Looking back to former things might be all right for filing, but it's not always a good idea to preserve past ways. The policy of 'Grand-daddy did it' is not a good one in the changing climates of the 21st century and we can find Biblical precedents, too, where it has been condemned.
When they escaped from the oppression of living under Pharoah's rule in Egypt, the Israelites hadn't gone far before they discovered that this adventure of going to a Promised Land was not going to be an easy one. They had barely crossed the Red Sea when the grumbles began. They looked up and saw the Egyptian hordes close behind them. Exodus 14:10-12 describes their reaction. They would rather have stayed where they were than be slaughtered as they feared at that moment.
Once out in the desert, they needed food; God provided manna for them to collect every morning. They were told not to keep it overnight: there would be more tomorrow. But the habit of storing food was clearly a strong part of their psyche and one not easily given up. Some of them did keep the manna, only to find that it was smelly and full of maggots the next day (Exodus 16:20). The need for a daily collection quickly became the norm, however, ... until the day before the Sabbath. Moses explained that, on this day, they should collect for two days and save what was left at the end of the first (16:23). Some decided to follow the newly acquired 'daily' habit instead of listening to fresh instructions ... and had a wasted journey the next morning (16:27), to the exasperation of the Lord (16:28-29).
Then there was a need for water; the 'Grumble Council' was in action again (17:2-3). Seeking a divine response, Moses was told to strike a particular rock with his staff and they were provided with water (17:6). The book of Numbers relates a similar incident later on their travels. In that case, there were grumblings, not only about the lack of water, but also about the lovely food they'd had in Egypt that they couldn't get there in the desert (Numbers 20:3-5). This time, however, it was Moses himself who followed past habits instead of listening to instructions.
The Lord had told him to take his staff with him and speak to the rock (Numbers 20:8). Moses was exasperated with the people and gave them a good telling off, before acting. Then he resorted to past tactics (Exodus 17:6, also 7:20, when he had struck the water of the Nile with his staff and turned it to blood). Having spoken to the people, he struck the rock - twice - and the people got the water they needed. The Lord, however, was not pleased by this disobedience and punished Moses (Numbers 20:12).
Paul, too, had 'Grand-daddy did it' problems. He was constantly fighting to keep the infant churches he'd established properly on track in their new-found faith in Jesus. We can read one of the angriest passages in his letters in that sent to the Galatians: "You foolish Galatians!" he exclaimed, "Who has bewitched you?" We can almost hear him shout as he dictated (Gal. 3:1). The circumstances that led to this outburst aren't neatly encapsulated in a couple of verses but if you read the previous chapters you'll get the idea. Basically it's a question of relinquishing a slavish - and failing - adherence to the Law as the path to salvation, and accepting that Jesus' death was all that was necessary to meet the Law's demands.
The challenge that faced the Galatians is the same one that faces us today. Do we want to go back to the old ways, struggling to keep a set of rules? Put another way, are we seeking to fit Jesus into our old lives when we should be moulding our lives into Jesus' way, the Way of the Cross?
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