3-9-2018

        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,”

    A great aim or desire of this nation is to improve our self.  We are always trying to make it better next time.  We make resolutions every New Year and what are they about?  We usually want to lose weight, quit smoking, exercise more, spend more time with our family; these are all fine and laudable goals.  We seek to improve our lives, our skills and our future.

    We view life as one long process of getting better.  Many people see staying the same as really falling behind.  So if our goal is to get better, why is it so difficult?  Probably the biggest reason is that we have so much difficulty letting go of the past.  We look back too much and we don’t let go.

    This can happen in our faith walk as well.  When Jesus first called his disciples, he told them that he would make them fishers of men.  He would make them; this is showing that it is a lifelong process.  Each day, we are molded and shaped a little bit more.  Each day is different from the last.  Each day we can grow closer to God; our faith being strengthened and nourished. 

    So why do we fail?  Often it is because we do not forgive.  Jesus tells us to forgive and then we are to move on.  We are to strain forward.  Sometimes that molding is not always a fun process.  If we think of the way a potter pulls and tugs to shape a lump of clay into something beautiful, the lump of clay may not always enjoy the process. 

    It is when we are too busy looking back that we fall down.  We need to forgive.  We need to forgive our family and friends for sleights that really mean nothing.  We need to forgive people we don’t even know whose actions are directed elsewhere but hit us.  Above all, we need to forgive ourselves.  It is when we fail to forgive ourselves that the devil keeps a toe hold in our life reminding us of those sins that we won’t let go of.  God’s mercy moves him to forgive our sins; it is only our guilt and the devil’s traps that keep us looking back.  Strive to look forward; going forth in God’s wonderful grace.

Dear Father, lead us forward keeping our eyes looking only to you.  Move us to let the past be past and that we only see what is good looking forward.  Guide us by your loving Spirit to always look to you for our hope.  Be with our brothers and sisters who are struggling with life’s challenges.  Come Lord Jesus come.  In Jesus’ precious name we pray, amen.

God’s Peace

Pastor Bret