As 1950 drew to a close, I cannot help but think that my thoroughly Scottish father anticipated with some relish the timely arrival of a new little tax deduction, a deduction to be applied for the whole of the previous year! But alas it was not to be. Although my dear mother spent the waning hours of the year and into New Year’s Day laboring on my behalf at the hospital, I kept everyone waiting until the third day of January.
Grace triumphed in a remarkable way, however, and each April passed without my being made to feel the irreparable financial hardship which my untimely birth had caused.
I sometimes wonder: Is my enjoyment of history, of reminiscence, linked to my birth in the month named after Janus, the two-headed Roman god? Or is it the advancing years? Perhaps it is a combination of the two. Both New Year’s and birthdays cause most people to reflect. When they come so close together for me, I can have a spring tide of emotion and personal evaluation sweep across my soul. Hopefully, like ocean tides, the experience flushes out polluting residue and brings new vitality into our experience.
Although believers are present possessors of eternal life, we now make do in the narrows between the inland sea of memories behind us and the boundless ocean of possibilities before us. Of course some things are better forgotten—old hurts, failures and sins now “under the blood,” regrets of the things that might have been, even past successes which might cause us inflated egos or early retirement to rest on our laurels. All these Paul lumps together, and calls us to forget “those things that are behind” (Phil. 3:13).
On the other face, some things are essential to remember. “I will remember the works of the Lord: surely I will remember thy wonders of old” (Ps. 77:11). His works are to be seen everywhere; He incessantly is at work on our behalf. His wonders may not appear to us as frequently, but they too are there in times of crisis or great need.
As noted on our masthead, the ministry of this magazine began in 1928, seventy-seven years ago. But I was handed the baton in 1990, and we began with the full-format Uplook in January of 1991. So for this month, we have gone back to the early years and selected some of the best articles for our commemorative issue.
Of course many articles could have been included. But my (very arbitrary and highly personal) requirements included the following: the articles must be short—one page or less with few exceptions; they should be by current authors (at time of writing); and must be pertinent to today’s readers. I trust you will find them helpful.
But as we also scan the future, let me leave you with a story from the back cover of the November 1991 edition: The story is told of a little girl who was taking a long cross-country journey. In the course of the day, her train crossed a number of rivers. The water could often be seen in advance as they twisted their way through the mountains. The girl said nothing, but her mother could tell that something was stirring doubts and fears in the child. It was that she did not understand how the river they were approaching could safely be crossed. As they drew near, however, a bridge appeared and provided the way over. Several times the same thing happened.
Finally the child leaned back in her chair, and emitted a long breath of relief. “Somebody,” she said to her mother, “has put bridges for us all the way!” So God does for His children every mile of the journey home.
Uplook Magazine, December 2004
Written by J. B. Nicholson Jr