Today’s Reading: Nehemiah 12:27-13:31

Some folks feel that history is unimportant. They see no need to learn about the past, living only in the present and for the future. History, however, exists to teach us lessons and help us make wise choices. Nehemiah rebuked the people when they were intermarrying with non-Jews by using a history lesson. He used the story of Solomon, which was a prime example of how marrying outside the faith can be disastrous.

Remembering history is not always pleasant. It saddens me to think of the various hard times our church has been through (divisions, etc.) in the past, but knowing and understanding that history will help us to avoid the attitudes and actions that led to problems.