“I’m not saying that I have this all together, that I have it made. But I am well on my way, reaching out for Christ, who has so wondrously reached out for me. Friends, don’t get me wrong: By no means do I count myself an expert in all of this, but I’ve got my eye on the goal, where God is beckoning us onward—to Jesus. I’m off and running, and I’m not turning back.” - Philippians 3:12-14 The Message.
It is interesting how often the apostle Paul speaks of the Christian in athletic terms. But notice that he doesn’t count himself as a professional athlete but as a Christian who professes Christ.
I read this experience of a relatively new minister, I let him tell his story in his own words, “Not long after I got out of seminary, I decided I needed more training. So, I applied for a pastoral residency position at one of the largest churches in our denomination. As it turns out, the selection committee asked me to come travel to their church for an interview.
When I got there, they took me out to eat at a really nice restaurant. There were about nine or ten other people and me. And they must have asked me as many as a dozen questions, but I only remember one. "What goals do you bring to this program? What do you want to accomplish here?"
I almost choked on my food -- which is one reason I don’t like to do interviews over a meal! I’m ashamed to admit this to you, but I didn’t have any goals. I guess I thought they would set the goals for me. In any case, I had never thought explicitly about goals, so I didn’t have an answer to the question. I felt foolish and unworthy of this group’s attention.
I was to meet with them again the next morning, so that night I worked as hard as I could inventing goals. I mean, I just made them up. When we were together again -- this time at the breakfast table -- I must have had some ten or twelve goals. The day before I had none; now I had too many, way too many.
For whatever reason, the committee invited me to take up the residency in any case. One thing I learned there, starting that day, is to formulate as clearly as possible in my own mind is what God’s purpose is, whatever I’m doing. And over the years since then, I have tried to make sure I had some idea of God’s intention for what I am doing in his name.”
Dear Jesus,
You have freed me from my past, even the last hour when I failed you. I no longer have to be paralysed by guilt and shame over my sins. I am free to look ahead without concern about my past catching up with me. Instead, I am bold to love those I have hurt by being honest and apologetic when I see them. I am bold to love those who are difficult to love because I know you will change their future through my love. I can have amnesia about all things behind me and simply focus on loving you and people. What a joy filled life this is. You really did give me life to the full.
Amen
When you want to go back and relive your mistakes picture Jesus standing in the way saying, "Turn around and enjoy your future."
No comments:
Post a Comment