Created to Look Forward
Consider these verses . . .
“For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:38-39 – bold mine)
Why didn’t Paul include things past in his list?
While God’s love for us isn’t disturbed by our pasts, our love for Him can be. We’re most often tripped up by things past. The mistakes we made, the abuse we endured, our anger over having been betrayed, outcomes where it seems God didn’t come through for us. In struggling to turn from these things, we miss out on the present and the future.
Have you ever thought about the idea that God bought your past at the Cross?
He paid for it with the blood of Jesus. He owns it. All of it. It helps me to know that my past doesn’t belong to me! You and I are new creations in Christ. When we were bought with a price, God took the title to our pasts. We’re not denying anything . . . we used to own it. But it’s been bought and is now owned by someone else!
I think God is making a huge statement here. We are created to look forward.
Is it His will that we grovel around second-guessing what happened yesterday and let the evil one rob us of the opportunity to make a difference tomorrow?
Not a chance.
So here’s a question. Is there something from your past you’re still chewing on? Would you benefit from a personal conversation with God about it? Maybe taking it off your hands and placing it in His would free you up to receive whatever He has in store for you now.
Prayer: Perfect Father, please help me grasp that you’ve bought my past and taken it away . . . as far as the east is from the west. Help me to forgive as you have forgiven. To give grace to myself and others as you give grace to me. I look to you for today, for every day, with arms wide open, ready to embrace what’s next with gratitude and faith because of your great love for me. Amen.
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