Romancing The Past

Why do we get caught up in our past? Is it because we are romanticized by events, people, places? Or is it because of pride? Look who I am? My title, my position? Who I have become? I was really wanting a word from God on this about someone else’s life and found myself at classmates.com. Pulling out my credit card to have access to the one week free trial. After spending several hours on the site, trying to catch up with people that I can’t remember because I was stoned. I can see how all of us can become prey to the memories of long ago. Even if they weren’t great, somehow we try to remember them as if they were. How jacked up is that? Now I have to figure out how to cancel the transaction before the week free trial runs out.

Isaiah 1:16&17, 20 (NLT), "Wash yourselves and be clean! Let me no longer see your evil deeds. Give up your wicked ways. Learn to do good. Seek justice. Help the oppressed. Defend the orphan. Fight for the rights of widows." "But if you keep turning away and refusing to listen, you will be destroyed by your enemies. I, the Lord, have spoken!"

I am not saying that my high school class of 1982 is my enemy or anybody else’s. Only that there was a lot of ‘suspect’ entertainment taking place in lieu of education. Even at the 20-year reunion, the faint reminder of sex, drugs and rock ‘n’ roll was ever present. People were still partying. The back gate crowd grew larger instead of smaller. I was out of place, the Jesus in me was screaming, "run!" I did. But now I fall prey to the memories of long ago. Something inside of me was lured there today, as I got a breezy about plans for the 25-year class reunion.

Acts 26:20 (NLT), "...that all must turn from their sins and turn to God-and prove they have changed by the good things they do."

When we turn from our sins, we turn to God. When we look back at our sins, we are turning away from God and looking directly at our enemy - the sin we committed. Even though God has removed the sin and made us as clean as freshly fallen snow.  If we back track into the sin through the fresh, white snow, it will become dirty.  Just by looking back, we become high risk Christians, instead of fully developed followers of Jesus Christ.  Just like Lot’s wife, can’t remember her name, but she is world famous for looking back at sin. She was destroyed. She was lured by the romanticized lies of the past, instead of looking ahead to her future, that was sealed by God.

Challenge of the day: Ask yourself why are you looking back? Then stop it.

Comments

[Lisa Heath]

Sometimes I want to call you Pastor Anita! Your words and wisdom connect with me long after I read them.

[Marsha]

I also graduated in 1982. I somtimes think about my life in high school. HIgh School was not a good time for me. I was tormented daily by a group of girls that enjoyed making my life miserable. I have had a great life.