Monday's thoughts

Remembering Forward

Krista Tippett has this idea that the past ought to be remembered but it ought to be remembered in a particular way; it needs to be remembered forward. It needs to lead us into the future and not force us to keep looking back.

At the end of the story of Job in the bible there is an interesting statement. Job, who did nothing wrong was afflicted with bad luck. It was Job that inspired Harold Kushner to write his book When Bad Things Happen to Good People. Nothing good happened to job. His children died and his business failed. He lost everything and it got to the point that family members were giving up on him. His friends were convinced he had done something wrong because of the bad things that had happened. His best option was to confess his sin. He was so low that he was cursing God and wanting to die. Anyone who thinks of Job as patient hasn't read the whole book. He wasn't patient. He was like any of us. He had become desperate and discouraged.

His fortunes turned. If people wait long enough all bad fortune will turn. Job was a man with a hard life and he lived a long time. At the end of his life we are told, "Job lived for another one hundred forty years--long enough to see his great-grandchildren have children of their own--and when he died he was very old." The translation I like best is the RSV and it says, "And Job died, an old man, and full of days."

How do we live full of days?
How do we remember forward our lives so that when the end of life comes we have lived and loved and have made the most of our time on earth?

If you have thoughts on this write me at charlesschuster@fcufmc.net. If you are willing to share your thoughts click on the box below.

I look forward to hearing from you.


Charles