"Those who don't know history are destined to repeat it." - Edmund Burke (1729-1797). That's an often misquoted quotation of an eighteenth century British statesman. There are countless examples of it being proven true, of course if you ignore history, you wouldn't know that. There is, however, a big difference between studying the past and learning from our own and other's mistakes and wanting to return or retreat to the past. It is completely human to long for the good ol' days, but there in lies the problem. It is completely human. What's the modern Christian to do?
God has dealt with humanity time and again concerning our desire to want to go back to where we were comfortable. He has done this with entire people groups at a time and with people individually. There are passages of scripture that talk about this and I'm sure we can all see examples in the lives of family and friends. He has worked tirelessly to guide us into the hope and future He has predestined for each one of us.
One of the first passages of scripture concerning this is with the Israelites a few days out of captivity in Egypt. They faced something that seemed to be a roadblock, the Red Sea. "Oh great!", I can hear them saying. "Good job Moses, you fool!" I'm obviously paraphrasing, but you get the point. They started griping and complaining and longing for their homes and food back in Egypt, even with the heavy burden of slavery that came with it. But Moses saw what God was doing. He knew that God was to be trusted and would deliver them even in this. As always, God came through, and not in any way they expected! After they passed through the Red Sea he returned the water back to it's place and drowned the Egyptian army. He also cemented the Israelites' future with no return to Egypt.
We read about a young man who was called to follow Jesus in Luke 9:59-60. He believed Jesus. He knew He was the Messiah. He new He was the deliverer and wanted to be a disciple of His. He had but one favor to ask. He wanted to go back and bury his father before he started to follow Jesus. Jesus' reply can seem harsh to the casual reader, but when you understand the cultural context, it makes sense. Jesus said, "Let the dead bury the dead. But you go and proclaim the kingdom of God." Jesus is saying earthly desires cannot weigh heavier than the plans and purposes God has for you. Another individual in that same passage wanted to go and say good bye to his family and Jesus said to him, "No one who puts their hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God." What Jesus is saying is don't look back. The past is the past. Yes, we must learn from our mistakes and others' mistakes, but we must not long for the past.
The last passage of scripture I'll share we find in the gospel accounts also. After the crucifixion of Jesus, some of the disciples went right back to their old lives. As Jesus walked about after his resurrection He visited them and, frankly, surprised them. Peter was the most effected by this I think. He had abandoned Jesus during his time of need, and retreated to what he knew, fishing. Jesus was patient with him and restored him to his full calling and ministry. He wants to do the very same thing with all of us. Don't settle for what the natural says you are or can do. Achieve the supernatural! Go for what God is calling you too, because you can only do that with His help. You'll never achieve all that God has planned for you without His guidance, provision, and equipping.
Friends, it is so easy and enticing to face difficult challenges and want to go back to simpler times. It is very alluring to want to go back to where everything made sense when we do not understand what is next in life. I am convinced that more often than not that understanding comes from hindsight. I believe if we find ourselves in the same situations with the same view points we would make the same decisions again.
I am so appreciative of God when He closes doors behind me and when He makes it nearly impossible to continue to follow Him and live in the past at the same time. He wants us to constantly be moving forward. He wants us to be looking to the future; His future for all of creation. This is the future we were spoken into existence to fulfill. Don't let what has happened in the past define your future. Don't let the seemingly insurmountable obstacles of the future stop you from moving forward.
Spoken from a man who has lived the sermon in real life. But you first stepped out in faith, before God began closing doors behind you.
ReplyDeleteThat first step was the most important one in your life, my brother.
God will always use the faithful in mighty ways today, just as he did in biblical times.