November 19, 2023

Exodus 1: 8 Then a new king, who did not know about Joseph, came to power in Egypt. (NIV)

We live in clear and present danger. . . The clear and present danger is found in our short memories.*

There are streets and roads in my community that are named after people that I used to know. There’s even a park named after my husband. Most people who drive on the roads or picnic in the park have no idea who the namesakes were. It doesn’t take long for fame to fade. Keeping the memory alive isn’t important for those who use the roads or the parks, but for the Israelites, Joseph’s legacy served to protect them - until he was forgotten by the new regime. If it had been important to the Egyptians, their historians would, no doubt, have tried to keep the memory of Joseph alive in succeeding generations.

The church is in the same predicament. We are one generation away from extinction by amnesia. Christians may be under attack in the world but our greatest danger is not from those who persecute us. Our most pressing danger is from our own inertia. The world can stop hating us as soon as we disappear.

Do you love the church? What are you doing to “keep the memory alive”? My parents taught me the importance of church by words and by actions. Missing a worship service was not an option unless we were very sick. Participation in every church-related activity was our social life. I learned from their example to serve and lead. We didn’t just go to church – we were the church. I have tried to pass this legacy down to my own kids – and I see that they are doing their part for the next generation. I am so encouraged for the future of the church when I see them and their friends - young families - taking on the responsibility for the sake of those who come behind them.

The legacy of each generation is the leadership of the next.*