Who am I, LORD God, and what is my family, that you have brought me this far? 1 Chronicles 17:16
Suppose you were to lose everything you held dear, how would you feel? What would you cling to if all that had once been tangible in your life was no more? The Israelites often found themselves in a similar situation. Their history was filled with much disappointment and discouragement. Their story alternates episodes of hope with that despair. The book of Chronicles finds them at the end of half a century of captivity. During this time they lost more than their freedom; they lost their sense of identity. At such a milestone, the book of Chronicles urges them to remember their glorious past, to recollect the best of times. The narrative is an effort to help the Israelites get in touch with who they were in God’s plan.
Do you see the similarities between the Israelites and us? Are we at a time in our lives when we need to remember our “glorious” past? Like the Israelite, we too are a race of hope. Although our past has its interludes of disheartenment, we have many stories that beget hope in our present. Forgetting where the Lord has led us will only jeopardize our future.
Maybe it’s a good idea to chronicle our miracles, struggles, and joyous events. And periodically, re-read the stories at family gatherings to strengthen our hope in Christ, to see where we fit into God’s divine plan.
Says Fyl 