While walking through the church parking lot today, my sister told my niece to stop and look for cars. So she stopped after she crossed the lane and looked behind her. My sister told her to look ahead of her not where she had already been. I told her that would make a good sermon. I've been thinking about it all day.
All too often people obsess about what has happened in the past. We keep saying, "if ony I had done that differently." I really like a new show called "Being Erica". It is about just that. She has a list of regrets that her therapist keeps track of. Erica says that if she could do such-and-such differently then her life would be better now. So the doctor sends her back in time so she can make different decisions. It's funny because things are still essentially the same when she comes back. The main difference is how Erica now reacts to what's going on around her. The changes are inner ones, not ones that alter history, which is what we all want. We would all like a do-over someplace in our lives.
For Christians we are given a do-over. No, we can't go back and alter history. When we accept Christ our past is forgiven and forgotten in the eyes of God. But, our future is altered! Because of Christ we are no longer the same person we were before. 2 Corinthians 5:17 says,
"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!"
And, Philippians 3:13 says,
"Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead."
And, Isaiah 43:18 says,
"Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past."
We don't have to worry about or dwell on the past any longer. In fact, it is useless! God has already repaired the past and has prepared our future. When we are looking behind us we will miss what is ahead of us, just like my niece who was looking behind her and almost didn't see the car coming in front of her. Why worry about what God has already brought us through? Why not be ever watchful for what He is bringing anew instead!
All too often people obsess about what has happened in the past. We keep saying, "if ony I had done that differently." I really like a new show called "Being Erica". It is about just that. She has a list of regrets that her therapist keeps track of. Erica says that if she could do such-and-such differently then her life would be better now. So the doctor sends her back in time so she can make different decisions. It's funny because things are still essentially the same when she comes back. The main difference is how Erica now reacts to what's going on around her. The changes are inner ones, not ones that alter history, which is what we all want. We would all like a do-over someplace in our lives.
For Christians we are given a do-over. No, we can't go back and alter history. When we accept Christ our past is forgiven and forgotten in the eyes of God. But, our future is altered! Because of Christ we are no longer the same person we were before. 2 Corinthians 5:17 says,
"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!"
And, Philippians 3:13 says,
"Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead."
And, Isaiah 43:18 says,
"Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past."
We don't have to worry about or dwell on the past any longer. In fact, it is useless! God has already repaired the past and has prepared our future. When we are looking behind us we will miss what is ahead of us, just like my niece who was looking behind her and almost didn't see the car coming in front of her. Why worry about what God has already brought us through? Why not be ever watchful for what He is bringing anew instead!
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Good Saturday Morning! I just discovered your blog today and I am loving it. I love the lesson on "Looking forward and not consumed with those things behind" It reminded me of the scriptures that teach us to "forget those things behind us" and press forward, to look up for each day during that day's appointment pleasures and pains we have a "redemption that draweth nigh" for us in THAT day. I love your blog it lifts up Jesus Christ and that is what it is about.
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Thank you so much, joybug! I am both humbled and overjoyed that you are being lifted up by what is written. I'm glad that you're here and pray that you will be continually blessed!
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