Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead.
I love this picture! To me, it represents my sin and all the garbage from my past. I don’t dig in there unless I need to help someone else.
About a month ago, I had a couple of ladies go into that wheelbarrow, pull out a couple of patties and fling them at me. I also had someone share something that I consider my story to share. Normally, it doesn’t bother me, but for some reason this time I began to feel shame and panic.
I went to my husband and talked with him about it and he said, “If you were really dead it wouldn’t bother you.”
He was right, and he wasn’t being unkind, but it hit me like a punch. I did the only thing I could do. I cried for hours and took it to the Lord. When I finally cried myself out, the Lord reminded me that He doesn’t see me as the things I’ve done, nor does He condemn me. Remember guys, He chooses to forget our sin.
He also reminded me that He and I are one, and He stands with me, so if anyone, hearing of my past looks at me differently, they’re looking at Him, too.
We’re not what we do and I love how in Psalm 107 He always loves us and He waits for us to ask for His help when we’re struggling. He’s ever present and all we need to do is turn to Him.
When we meet Jesus, we are crucified and raised with Him…a new creation, the old is gone and the new has come. Amen! That’s such good news!
Or have you forgotten that when we became Christians and were baptized to become one with Christ Jesus, we died with Him? For we died and were buried with Christ Jesus by baptism. And just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, now we also may live new lives.
In my posts: ‘Sin Conscious’, ‘Don’t Let the Dead Man Drive’, ‘Who He Sees’ and ‘One With Him’, I go into more detail about our new life in Him.
We can choose to believe Him or not, but He always speaks truth. What others think really shouldn’t matter.
In 2 Corinthians 5, Paul talks about us being Christ’s ambassadors and bringing the wonderful message of new Life in Christ to others. It doesn’t say to go digging in other folks dung heaps for the purpose of causing them harm, even innocently. Let us encourage and lift others up.
Father, may we always remember that You love us and and when You look at us, You see Your precious Son, Jesus. Help us to truly die to self, remembering that no matter what, You stand in and with us. Thank You for loving us always and forever and for Your Presence. Amen and so be it.
