“A hand pointing in the direction of the past”

.

A memoirist’s musings for the end of the year

Your job and mine, as memoirists, is to serve as “a hand pointing in the direction of the past.”

But here at SM 101, we do more than that. We do more than tell stories from the past.

Here we dig deep within those stories to discover what God has done for us—stories about His constant companionship each day, each year.

The beauty of memoir is looking back, examining, and discovering significance we might have missed at the time.

So now, at the end of 2011, it’s good for us to reflect on the past twelve months because too often we don’t take time to recognize that, in the words of dear old Samuel, “The Lord has helped us every step of the way” (1 Samuel 7:12, NIRV).

Back in the 1800s, C. H. Spurgeon pondered that same verse in The King James Version: “Hitherto hath the Lord helped us.”

He wrote:

“The word ‘hitherto’ seems like a hand pointing in the direction of the past. Twenty years or seventy, and yet ‘hitherto hath the Lord helped us!’”

Or, in today’s language, “Whether we’re twenty years old or seventy, ‘the Lord has helped us every step of the way.’”

Spurgeon continues,

“Through poverty,

through wealth,

through sickness,

through health;

at home,

abroad,

on the land,

on the sea;

in honor,

in dishonor,

in perplexity,

in joy,

in trial,

in triumph,

in prayer,

in temptation,

—‘hitherto hath the Lord helped!’”

If we invest time in looking over Spurgeon’s list in light of our own past twelve months, we’ll see that every day, in each event, even in the worst of times, God has always hovered in our midst, working out His best plans.

For now, jot down a list, make a few notes, and promise yourself—and your family, and God—you’ll write those stories in 2012!

Each story is worthy of being told.

Each child and grandchild needs to know your stories.  

Each story can be a celebration of what God has done.*

Always remember, and never forget,

what you’ve seen God do for you,

and be sure to tell your children and grandchildren!

(Deuteronomy 4:9)

Would you like the latest posts from Spiritual Memoirs 101

delivered to your e-mail inbox?

It’s easy! Type your e-mail address

in the little gizmo in the right column

toward the top.

I post extra tidbits on Facebook.

If you don’t want to miss them,

follow on Facebook

(click in the right column).

*Links and related posts:

Your stories: Not because of who you are, but because of who God is,

http://spiritualmemoirs101.blogspot.com/2011/07/your-stories-not-because-of-who-you-are.html

What’s your memoir’s ultimate purpose?

http://spiritualmemoirs101.blogspot.com/2011/07/saturday-snippet-whats-your-memoirs.html