大象传媒

A spiritual comment and prayer to begin the day with Haydon Spenceley, Christian musician and worship leader.

Monday

Good morning. As we start a new week and move towards Remembrance Sunday, I find myself again fascinated by the role that memory plays in my life. I can list memory after memory of times I have got it wrong, things haven鈥檛 gone right or turned out as I had hoped. It鈥檚 a skill which, if it were ever to become an Olympic sport, I would be an absolute gold medal winning certainty. Not the best quality to have for sure, especially if rather than learning from it, the film of these memories which plays in my head at regular intervals shows an ongoing vision of history repeating itself.

One thing among money I learned from my history degree is that apparent progress and a failure to learn from the mistakes of the past can happily co-exist together if we鈥檙e not careful about making the changes needed for things to improve for the present and the future. To keep doing the same core things, albeit in technologically ever-more advanced ways, is more than likely to lead to similar results. What I imagine many of us look for as we look back, whether wistfully, with anger, disappointment or any other emotion, is a way to something better, more hopeful, built on solid foundations which won鈥檛 give way. As I sank into the mud leading my Football Club鈥檚 Annual Act of Remembrance a few days ago perched on a mound on the side of the road competing with the sound of cars, traffic light beeps and plenty more besides I was glad I would shortly be returning to solid ground. However far we drift away, it waits for us.

Father, help us to look to you for the present and the future. Help us to trust you and commit to loving you, others and ourselves today.

Amen.