Thursday; January 20

 When I was growing up, there was a popular refrain from a song that encouraged, “Give me that old-time religion, Give me that old-time religion, Give me that old-time religion, It’s good enough for me.” While the roots of this classic are buried deep in history (even dating back to the mid-19th Century) it gained a lot of popularity in the changing religious landscape of the mid-20th Century. Christianity appeared to be on the move and a lot of people didn’t like where it was heading!

Nostalgia (a fancy word for longing for “those good old days”) is appealing because we like what we like and we feel comfortable with the way things have been. Yet is history always better than growth? Is it better to live in the past or can the potential of new thoughts lead to better ways? Like most people, I like what I like, but I also need to have the wisdom to seek to move beyond where I am. No, growth at the expense of truth is never the answer, but neither is never investigating the possibility of doing something in a better way. The Apostle Paul challenged the early Christians to be wary of “… things which are a mere shadow of what is to come; but the substance belongs to Christ.” (Colossians 2:17).
Let’s not be afraid of doing what we enjoy, but let’s also continue to seek the truth that can lead us to a deeper understanding of Christ and a better way of practicing our religion. That’s what should be good enough for us!

Think About It!

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