11-19-2021

 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 many people is to improve themselves in some way, shape, or form. 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 do not 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. But this process might be painful or unpleasant. It might extend to times of great struggle, angst, or doubt. We may even see the right course, but struggle staying on it.

    So why do we fail? In many cases, it is because we focus on the past instead of the future. Often it is because we do not forgive. Jesus tells us to forgive and then we are to move on. Failing to forgive is to keep our focus behind and down; yet God wants us to look up and to look forward. We are to strain forward. It is when we are too busy looking back that we fall down. We need to forgive. Forgiveness frees us from the weight of carrying past hurts, remembering the sleights against us robs us of the joy we have when we focus forward, upon the resurrection. We need to forgive our family and friends for sleights that really mean nothing. We need to forgive people we do not 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 will not 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. Seeing his grace as active in our lives, giving us the certain promise of life eternal.

Dear Father, your mercies are new to us every morning. 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. Move us by your Spirit to know only your mercy. Guide us to share this mercy with all that we meet. In Jesus’ precious name we pray, amen.

God’s Peace

Pastor Bret