Saturday Sermonette - No Looking Back

Photo by Hans Christiansson

When I go to bed at night, I like to read devotionals, among other things. It makes for better sleeping than bloody movies or psycho books. A couple of days ago, one thing really struck me--a passage from God Calling for your perusal:

• You must be as one who runs a race, stumbles and falls, rises and presses on to the goal. What avails it if he stays to examine the spot where he fell, to weep over the delay, over the shortsightedness that prevented his anticipating and avoiding the obstacles?
• So with you, and I lay it on you as a command--no looking back. Give yourself, and all you have ever met a fresh start from today. Remember no more their sins and failures, or your own.

This so applies to me, and I'll bet it also does to some who are reading this today--right? I tend to want to rehash things, wanting to change the past. If only I had done this or that differently, I wouldn't have made such a mess of things.

I was like that woman lying there in the mud wishing I hadn't fallen, wishing for a do-over, wishing for absolution. Then one day when I was asking Jesus for forgiveness once again for the same thing I had before, and I hear this nearly audible sigh. "How many more times are you going to do this?" Jesus asked.

"What?"

A video took place in my head. I was scooping up dirt and loading it on Jesus again and again. "Oh. That."

His chuckle sounds in my heart.

I chuckled too. "Okay, Lord, I get the picture."

You know, we know Jesus forgives and forgets, but maybe sometimes we aren't convinced He knows how really, really sorry we are--so we tell him again.

Ever done that? Well, quit it. He took that dirt to the cross the first time you told Him about it. Stop looking back.

Dear Lord, Thanks for forgiving and forgetting. Thanks for reminding me You heard me the first time. You're the best. Amen.