2-24-2017

      Good Morning All,

           Philippians 3:13; “Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead,”

   Do you remember when Al Bundy would always brag to anyone who would or would not listen how he “scored four touchdowns in one game for Polk High.”  The fact that he was a middle aged shoe salesman made the claim a little pathetic.  His greatest feat, his highest accomplishment was in his past.  Yet many people live this way.  In 1968, Mary Hopkin sang a remake of a Russian folk song that took much of the northern hemisphere by storm.  The chorus was:

Those were the days my friend
We thought they'd never end
We'd sing and dance forever and a day
We'd live the life we choose
We'd fight and never lose
For we were young and sure to have our way.

It went to number two on the hit list only kept out by the Beatles’ “Hey Jude”.  Yet the view offered is that the best of life is over.  The days of freedom and carefree joy are gone and all that is left is doldrums, sorrow and then death.  Kind of a miserable life, isn’t it?

    It is sad that so many people think that the best of life is over and that all that is left is a dismal existence.  What do you look forward to?  What makes you want to go forward with anything?  Yet sin can cause us to feel this way.  Not much to look forward to so look back.  The problem with looking back is that usually the good ole days weren’t always that good.

    This is the difference between believers and unbelievers.  Believers look forward.  Our hope is the future.  We have the greatest days ahead of us.  We look forward to, we long for, we pray for the return of Jesus which will bring about the completion of our sanctification.  We look forward to the perfection of our body and soul and the eternal life that God promises to us through Jesus.  We look forward to greater things to come.

    Yet as this life can and is a struggle; we look forward with expectant yearning for God’s good gifts.  There is no need to look back and long for days past because the best is yet to come.  Our glory days are not behind us; our glory waits for us.  We wait for our glory with Jesus in the days to come; maybe soon or maybe later but they are coming and we will celebrate with all the faithful with Jesus in the feast to come.  The best is yet to come.

Father in heaven, the best is yet to come.  Lead us by your Spirit in all peace and truth.  Keep us ever watchful and always focused on your love and mercy.  Do not let us look back but always straining forward to you.  In the precious name of Jesus we pray, amen.

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret