Our Biblical Past

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. (Lamentations 3:22-23)

We Christians are people of the Bible, and Scripture tells the laws and stories of the past because they remind us of how God relates to humans like you and me. Yet, the past is a complex and manipulative part of our lives. The past can affirm and haunt even the best of us. It takes wisdom and courage to recognize and learn from our histories. Our corporate history as God’s people is equally complex.

Our Biblical history has the determination of Job, the jealousy of King Saul, the wisdom of Jesus, and the clever commitment of the Apostle Paul, just to name a few. Not all of our Biblical histories are good, but it is honest. There was the David and Bathsheba incident, the horrific event at Sodom, and Judas and his few pieces of silver. There are hundreds of pages of examples of people in the Bible who disappointed others, themselves, and their God.

Some might consider the first two paragraphs of this devotion a little negative. Instead, I find it celebratory. If all the Biblical characters were perfect examples, then the rest of us might as well give up. The “good news” is that while human beings throughout history are flawed, hope and care remain. Even the famous characters of Biblical history wear their limitations on their sleeves. If God could forgive and support deficient people from the past, then there is hope for you and me.

Deep inside ourselves, we recognize our foibles which quickly leads to shame. The foundation of the Bible calls us to admit our struggles but not allow guilt to replace regret. We are no good to God if we wallow in shame and despair. Instead, see yourself in the Biblical story of redemption, grace, and mercy. God loves you and will guide you through your past, good and painful, and lead you to eternal joy.