Jesus drives on I-95

carolinalive.com

Yesterday I was driving on the highway en route to my small group meeting.  As I was driving, I activated my right turn signal and began to change lanes.  I checked all my mirrors, focusing on the vehicles behind me to ensure that I did not cut off another vehicle.  I looked behind me a few more seconds than I should have while I was changing lanes, not seeing that the vehicle in front of me was slowing down.  I quickly hit my brakes, decelerated and prevented a potentially nasty accident.  After I breathed a sigh of relief, I began to laugh a little bit.  Jesus is always faithful to show Himself in the midst of daily chaos.

Because I spent too much time looking behind me, I almost crashed into the car in front of me.  While it is necessary to look in our rear view mirrors and to check our blind spots to drive successfully, we must also keep our eyes on the road ahead of us.  Ultimately, the vehicles behind us also have the responsibility not to collide with us.  They too are responsible for driving safely, keeping their eyes on what is in front of them.

The same is true with our walk with Jesus. We cannot remain focused on the past, lest we crash in our futures.  When we live in the past, our present suffers and and this suffering then presents itself in our futures.  It is wise for us to check our lives' rear view mirrors.  We must not forget the work that the Lord has done for us (Psalm 143:5).  It is right for us to remember that the Lord has saved us from the pits of hell, restored our broken relationships, freed us from addiction, put the broken pieces of our hearts back together and saved us from our sin.  I look back at my days of binge drinking and partying, my days of spiritual apathy and depression and I thank the Lord for the work He has done in my heart.

Yet if I spend too much time looking in my past, I neglect the beautiful work He is doing in my present.  I begin to pick up the sorrow and shame I left at the foot of the cross years ago and carry it with me as if it were my cross to bear.  When I spend too much time gazing into memories of hurt and immorality, I forget that Jesus bore that cross at Calvary.  The enemy then begins to accuse me (Rev. 12:10), saying "See, you have not changed!  That was an emotional conversion.  You are the same man!  You will always lust, you will always overeat, you will always drink, you will never trust, you will always be broken, hurt and abandoned."  It is at moments like these that I ought to cry out to the Lord, but I find myself believing these lies at times.  And while you may be tempted to write me a little encouraging note (which is always nice), ask the Lord to expose to you the lies the enemy tells you, only if even through the power of suggestion.  Explore what agreements you have made with the enemy because you have spent too much time recalling who you were that you have forgotten who you are.

Check the baggage from the past at the curbside and move forward onto your journey with a carry-on of healing, restoration and maturity.  I like the way The Message paraphrases the words of Jesus.  "Are you tired?  Worn out?  Burned out on religion?  Come to me.  Get away with me and you'll recover your life.  I'll show you how to take a real rest.  Walk with me and work with me -- watch how I do it.  Learn the unforced rhythms of grace.  I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you.  Keep company with me and you'll learn to live freely and lightly" (Matthew 11:28-29).

"Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it.  But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 3:13-14 NIV).  Oh happy day and oh baby, what a true story!