What's Past Is Prologue

There is a comforting line form Shakespeare which in one short sentence has much to suggest: “What’s past is prologue.” It is a plea for hope, for new beginnings, for not brooding about what cannot be reclaimed of recalled, a plea for faith in the future—a plea for repentance. No matter what we have done of failed to do, our opportunity is from here on. And blessedly, by the principle of repentance, “What’s past is prologue.”

Over and over we are comforted by this assurance: the Father of us all know us. He knows our hearts; He knows our difficulties and desires; He knows our mistakes, our problems, our sorrows our shortcomings. He knows the motives by which we are moved and the influences by which we are swayed. He knows the reasons we fall short of being the best we might be.

He knows our needs and He has sent us here not to fail but to succeed. And if we will only give Him an opportunity He will help to life us to our highest possibilities and happiness and peace and progress. And whatever we have done of failed to do, ” What’s past is prologue,” and before us, with His help is the opportunity to improve our performance.

If we will prayerfully approach Him and invite Him into our daily decisions, we shall find a light and a lift returning to our lives. There is no more helpful principle in life than the principle of repentance. And whatever we may have failed in as a people, as a nation, as parents, as children, as citizens in a troubled society, the hope we have is in the power and privilege of repentance. “What’s past is prologue”—and the everlasting future is before us to improve upon the past.