Helping You Honor and Glorify God in All You Think, Do, Say, and Feel

Saturday, August 14, 2010

A Time To Lose The Past...



Posted: Nov. 10, 2009


I think you’ll agree that sometimes it’s nice to get away from things, collect your thoughts, refocus, and rejuvenate yourself. Yesterday was one of those days for me. I wasn’t stressed out or overwhelmed with life, but I did have an opportunity to take a break from the norm and escape for a few hours. For me, that escape is usually fishing - and I love it.
While my boys are in school my fishing buddy is my cousin, that we affectionally call “Grump”... I’ll explain why some other time, but just to set your mind at ease, he’s a really great guy. 
While me and Grump were in the water yesterday we started talking about regrets from the past and the guilt we have from time to time (that many live with and can’t escape from) as a result. Grump is 70-ish and so he has a few more years under his belt than I do, which means he has more past to sort through, and therefore more time to have guilt and regrets. 
Oh, what we can learn from those who walk before us. - SELAH - 
As we were talking through some things that we would do differently if we could go back and do a “re-take”, Grump recalled a situation that ended up helping us get things into perspective in a major way. The short story was...
A few years ago we were fishing from a dock with the boys and one of them (who will remain unnamed) set their pole down to rest a moment - and at that very moment - a fish bit the bait and took off with Grumps rod and reel combo he lent him to use for the day - and it wasn’t one of the “cheap-os”. My son felt so bad! Grump didn’t care, he wouldn’t let us replace it, and we still laugh about it today - even my son.
As we recalled the situation we laughed again and we talked about how we didn’t ever want “my son” to feel guilty about losing that pole. Grump said it was really “no big deal” and that there is never any reason “the boy” should feel guilty - it was over and done with.
Then he said something that simply made everything pop into place. He said “I guess that’s the way God wants us to feel about our past”. God doesn’t want us to wallow in our past sin. He wants us to repent, ask His forgiveness, and move on. 
YES, YES, that’s it!!!
As Christians, believers and followers of Jesus Christ, our sin is forgiven, washed away!  Jesus nailed them all to the cross - then He said it was finished! . Jesus paid the great outstanding debt that we owed because of our sin. We could not repay this debt of sin we owed God almighty, only Jesus could  cancel it - and He did!!!
Colossians 2:13-24
“And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross.”
Then, when we do sin... 
1 John 2:1-2
“My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.”
Then in...
1 John 1:8-9
“If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
We can be forgiven, the guilt can be washed away, and we can have a perfect - one on one - relationship with God Almighty as a result of what Jesus has done, and is continuing to do.
We may be able to get out of the hustle and bustle of life by hopping into a Kayak and heading down a creek... but only Jesus can take the sin and guilt away from our hearts, lives, and eternal record. 
The hard part for us is to realize it.
Are you struggling with guilt from past sin and failures? Do you feel there’s no way God will ever forgive you for what you’ve done, the sin you’ve committed and still struggle with? 
God not only loves you, He proved/demonstrated His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us as we see in Romans 5:8.
Ecclesiastes 3:6 says that there is “a time to seek, and a time to lose;”
Don’t know about you, but I think it’s time we lose the guilt and shame of our sin that we unnecessarily burden ourselves with. We need to realize that we are FREE from sin, it’s power, and it’s guilt - as we learn from 
John 8:36 “if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.”
If we don’t want our children or friends to live a life filled with guilt and regret because of some mistake or sin against us - how much more does our Heavenly Father want us to live without the guilt and shame of our sin - that He has already paid for and forgiven?
Last questions...
Are you forgiven by God? Has there truly been a time that you’ve repented (turned from and changed your mind about) your sin, confessed your belief in Jesus as your Lord, Boss, and only way to be forgiven and made right with God? 
If not, today is the day. For further thoughts and direction, e-mail me at
Pastor@brbctexas.com I would love to talk with you about what God is doing in your heart and life and how He is drawing you closer to Him.
PT

No comments:

Post a Comment