A Pastoral Word. . . Inventive Expressions
Pastor Kevin Freeman
April 4, 2024
If you joined us for worship last Sunday, then you likely recall my mention of various inventions that have not stood the test of time. These were gimmicky, impractical, or no longer relevant. Thankfully, the hope of salvation in Christ is just as practical and relevant as ever!
While looking up inventions, I came across one that immediately caught my interest. The futuristic-looking "Motoruota” was invented a hundred years ago, patented in France in 1924! David Cislaghi and Giuseppe Govetosa were the named inventors on the patent. Because they were never widely popular, these “monowheels” are shrouded in a bit of mystery, though they were featured in the December 1924 edition of Popular Science Monthly. It is said that the Motoruota could reach speeds of nearly 100 miles per hour.
We have enjoyed rapid technological inventions nearly nonstop for the past 150 years. This can lead us to always look to the next gizmo or updated version of a product we love. Perhaps we are sometimes too quick to disregard the inventions of the past. A few marvels lie buried that are worth some scrutiny, and, if we are honest, not all of today’s inventions are worthy of accolades.
As we live out our faith, we can be guilty of looking for the next innovation to propel us forward, though what lies in the past is often much more fruitful. We seek the next worship song, popular speaker, Christian living book, conference, or catchy verse. These are not bad, but they can leave us continually skimming the surface, looking for the next exciting thing that will boost our faith.
In truth, Christians should embrace both the old and the new, the things that stand the test of time and those new expressions of hope that will propel us forward.
God reveals this in His Word:
Remember the former things of old; for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me. (Isaiah 46:9 ESV)
But just a few chapters earlier, we read:
Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert. (Isaiah 43:18-19 ESV)
Even at the end of the Bible, God declares He is “making all things new” (Revelation 21:5). In the next verse, He reminds us that He is the beginning and the end. The trustworthy truths of the past will always hold their value, and we can eagerly embrace new expressions of those same principles. That is because our God is the God of every moment in time!
What aspects of God’s past faithfulness do you treasure? How will you live out the hope He has placed in you in a new way in the coming days?
Your partner in ministry,
Kevin Freeman
https://www.hemmings.com/stories/2010/11/29/motoruota-the-monowheel-that-mightve
Image attribution: Nationaal Archief, https://www.flickr.com/photos/29998366@N02/4193508328/
(https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/)
While looking up inventions, I came across one that immediately caught my interest. The futuristic-looking "Motoruota” was invented a hundred years ago, patented in France in 1924! David Cislaghi and Giuseppe Govetosa were the named inventors on the patent. Because they were never widely popular, these “monowheels” are shrouded in a bit of mystery, though they were featured in the December 1924 edition of Popular Science Monthly. It is said that the Motoruota could reach speeds of nearly 100 miles per hour.
We have enjoyed rapid technological inventions nearly nonstop for the past 150 years. This can lead us to always look to the next gizmo or updated version of a product we love. Perhaps we are sometimes too quick to disregard the inventions of the past. A few marvels lie buried that are worth some scrutiny, and, if we are honest, not all of today’s inventions are worthy of accolades.
As we live out our faith, we can be guilty of looking for the next innovation to propel us forward, though what lies in the past is often much more fruitful. We seek the next worship song, popular speaker, Christian living book, conference, or catchy verse. These are not bad, but they can leave us continually skimming the surface, looking for the next exciting thing that will boost our faith.
In truth, Christians should embrace both the old and the new, the things that stand the test of time and those new expressions of hope that will propel us forward.
God reveals this in His Word:
Remember the former things of old; for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me. (Isaiah 46:9 ESV)
But just a few chapters earlier, we read:
Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert. (Isaiah 43:18-19 ESV)
Even at the end of the Bible, God declares He is “making all things new” (Revelation 21:5). In the next verse, He reminds us that He is the beginning and the end. The trustworthy truths of the past will always hold their value, and we can eagerly embrace new expressions of those same principles. That is because our God is the God of every moment in time!
What aspects of God’s past faithfulness do you treasure? How will you live out the hope He has placed in you in a new way in the coming days?
Your partner in ministry,
Kevin Freeman
https://www.hemmings.com/stories/2010/11/29/motoruota-the-monowheel-that-mightve
Image attribution: Nationaal Archief, https://www.flickr.com/photos/29998366@N02/4193508328/
(https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/)
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