“Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:13-14 KJV)
Our God created time. He is the one who set gravitational laws in place to regulate the rotational routes of the sun and the moon. He rules and controls them. When frustration rises its ugly head, whether by calendar or clock, a calm reading of the great Apostle’s words reminds us of a proper perspective.
The past is history. The day has ended . . . week is gone . . . month is over . . . year finished. They are now in the hands of the All Wise Eternal God. Errors cannot be erased . . . words cannot be unspoken . . . actions cannot be re-done. It does no good to dwell on regrets . . . forgiveness (both given and received) is the solution. As the old adage says, “let sleeping dogs lay.” Move on into your future.
The old hymn goes like this: “I don’t know about tomorrow, but I know who holds my hand.” That is the essence of Paul’s example. Forget the past and — with your hand in the hand of God — pursue God’s calling and purpose for you in Christ Jesus. That is your future!
Another aspect to consider: the fear of the unknown. What will our future hold? Remember the words of the Apostle Paul to the Corinthians, “Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God” (1Co 2:9-11 KJV).
As we all consider our future, perhaps a new perspective might be in order. We can not imagine what the New Year will hold for us. Yet, because we know the one who holds 2010 in his control, we confidently affirm that He has prepared good things for us, and will reveal them unto us by the Holy Spirit in his own time.
Here is why the Word of God is so critical to Christians. His Word shifts our focus from calendars and clocks to the important issues of eternity. No more obsessing with clocks, trying to save minutes, or find more hours in a day. Of course, the issue is not how much time we have — each of us has all there is — but what we do with the time we have. In 2010, what will we do with our future?
Dear Father, thank you for insuring our future through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Strengthen our resolve to forget the past and focus on the future in Christ Jesus. I pray this in the name of Jesus. AMEN
Be encouraged today in the One who holds the future,
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!