Two churches we have attended have 50th anniversaries this year. 1965 was a great time of starting churches – that lasted. There was much unrest in the nation, desire to provide Jesus as the answer to a growingly restless society, and resources that could be stretched to reach this goal.
Although neither my wife nor I were attending these particular churches as they were planted, we are the beneficiaries. For that we thank God.
As I read of the early days of these churches, you note immediately a sense of unity – a sense of “we are one, for the glory of God.” 50 years later a myriad of life circumstances have caused both growth and retrenchment in each church.
But God is not dead. And life continues to arise.
I have another anniversary to commemorate on May 17th. My first wife, Jill, passed away three years ago on that date. I’ve been excited about life that has followed – God is not dead and life arises.
But we are wise to remember.
In the remembering we will sometimes glorify the best and try to ignore the worst. We will best benefit from an honest view of past pains and glories. And we will reshape the future as we seek after God’s will – knowing that God has been faithful to bring us thus far!!