Been There Before

Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Philippians 3:13-14

Oops, spilled something on the burner, he said with some regret as the stream of smoke rose toward the ceiling. Yes, I have been on this ground before, even to the point of using these same verses from Paul's letter to the church at Philippi. Why come back to cover old ground, other than the humor of not forgetting a past devotional about forgetting the past of course? It must be because I keep doing it! Ow, quit it!

An attack of the regrets comes often to the follower of Christ. This sort of thing seems to be one of the enemy's favorite weapons against us. In among those many darts launched against our shield of faith are the ones with memories on them. They are not lies of course, we did the things and we regret the doing. The lie comes in the thought that it is God who can never forget them when we know very well from scripture that He does place them from Himself as far as the east is from the west. So, if God forgets our sins, why did Paul need to remind us to forget the past?

Same reason no doubt. Paul had more to forget than most of us from his past as the chief persecutor of the followers of Jesus. The apostle was likely attacked with the regrets everywhere he went and spoke the word of God. Reminders of those he had persecuted, especially those who had fled what they thought was far away from his presence, probably presented themselves quite often on his mission journeys. It is from this experience that Paul tells us to put that stuff aside and to not live in regret, and if Paul can do it in Christ, we all can.

Have a bold new day in Christ Jesus!
Bucky