History: Nothing New Under The Sun

It's a well-kown and obvious fact that people don’t always take history lessons to heart. Can there be any other explanation for why, after so many historical examples of its failures that brought crushing blows to entire countries, and with so many eyewitnesses still living to tell the dreadful tales, as well as with so many others having left a written record, people today continue to fall for the deceitfulness socialism?

If we aren't able to look at history with a perspective that teaches us how to and how not to respond to the social issues of our day and time, it's going to be difficult to grasp what the real answers to them are. There really is nothing new under the sun, but when blindness grips a people the ability to see what the problems are, much less what the solutions are, simply is not there.

Having recently had the occasion to sing an old hymn titled “The Love of God,” by Frederick M. Lehman, part of the text that I had always had a little trouble completely understanding came alive to me.

I had just read an article describing a poem that encourages people to pray to “mother earth.” “Mother earth” is not new news to me for it is an idea with a long history, but I had never thought through its connection to this hymn.

The dawning of the full meaning of these lines written in the hymn, “When men, who here refuse to pray, On rocks and hills and mountains call,” (see full text below) was an “Aha!” moment for me, but also a sad one.

Even though it is not a new concept, never before have we as a nation, or for that matter as a world community, been so inundated with such a wide variety of input promoting the worship and trust of the creation rather than the Creator.

As we sang “The Love of God” that day my heart filled with gratitude that He has granted me belief of His Word. How I thank Him for graciously helping me take Him at His Word so I could ask for His mercy!

I am so thankful to understand that although the pilgrim journey of this life passes like a vapor, for those who come to Him according to His Word through His Son, Jesus the Christ, eternity is bright with the promise of life. How thankful I am for His help so that as He called out to me I could come to a decision. "J'ai decide de vivre."

Hymn Text:

The love of God is greater far than tongue or pen can ever tell;
It goes beyond the highest star, and reaches to the lowest hell;
The guilty pair, bowed down with care, God gave His Son to win;
His erring child He reconciled, And pardoned from his sin.

Refrain: O love of God, how rich and pure!
How measureless and strong!
It shall forevermore endure
The saints’ and angels’ song.

When years of time shall pass away, and earthly thrones and kingdoms fall,
When men, who here refuse to pray, on rocks and hills and mountains call,
God’s love so sure, shall still endure, all measureless and strong;
Redeeming grace to Adam’s race—the saints’ and angels’ song.

Could we with ink the ocean fill, and were the skies of parchment made,
Were every stalk on earth a quill, and every man a scribe by trade,
To write the love of God above, would drain the ocean dry.
Nor could the scroll contain the whole, though stretched from sky to sky.

Because the melody is so beautiful here are two piano arrangements of “The Love of God” for you to enjoy:

number one can be found here

and

number two can be found here.

The way of those who reject what He says is an old path, but He offers new direction and new life to all who come to Him according to His Word. The rich and certain love of God is ours to enjoy, no matter our circumstances, if we look to Him as He teaches us in His Word.

There is nothing new under the sun. The statement's context is that of human behavior. The heart of man is everything God says it is. The good news is that we can ask for the help God promises to the humble and contrite heart.

• ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ •

You can easily join HubPages by clicking here to sign up.

Don't wait, start benefiting from the HubPages program today!

• ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ •