Most of us would agree, it’s good to look back and recount the blessings in our
lives. Reflecting on God’s faithfulness
to us over the past can strengthen our faith and renew our gratitude toward Him.
Then, there were those times where we
were not even aware of His presence, sustaining grace or protection over our
lives as the famous poem, “Footsteps,” so graphically portrays.
Physical symbols of past events can be powerful reminders to help us bring
reality back to our minds. Undoubtedly,
God, knowing human nature’s quickness to forget important things, used many symbols
to awaken the attention of the Israelites to what He had done for them.
For example, on that historic occasion when
they entered the Promised Land having just crossed the flooded Jordan River on
dry land, He told them to choose 12 large stones from the river bed and to make
a mound on the river bank as a remembrance of what He had done for them. And they were to teach their children the
meaning of those stones, as well.
Jesus taught His disciples, and us through them, to observe Communion as a
remembrance and a proclamation of His death on their behalf and ours. Likewise, He taught them to baptize new
followers to establish and publicly confess that they had chosen to identify
with Him in His death, burial and resurrection.
In our culture today, most marriage ceremonies include the exchange of wedding
rings, given as a token of the vows that each one has made to the other. They serve as a reminder throughout the
marriage of the serious commitments that they made on a specific day before an
audience of many witnesses.
Yet, there are numerous passages in the Scriptures that warn against looking
back. For instance, as Lot and his
family fled from Sodom when it was about to be destroyed, Lot’s wife turned
into a pillar of salt (Genesis 18:16, 26) because she looked back after being
warned by the angels not to do so. Jesus
told a number of would-be followers that no one who “puts his hand to the plow
and looks back is fit for the Kingdom of God” (Luke 9:62). The Apostle Paul writing to the church at
Philippi said that he forgets the things that are past and presses on toward the
goal to which He has been called (Philippians 3:13-14).
So why is looking back good in one case and not in the other? In its simplest terms, the answer seems to
be: whatever draws us closer to God and
obedience to him is a good reason to look back; whatever distracts or draws us
away from Him is a reason not to look back.
Try that simple test on the examples above and see if you agree and, if
you do, use it as a test for yourself in your own life.
Now, I think there is one more scenario that we need to consider. (This is the ugly part.) What about looking back at our past sins,
both those of commission and omission? If
we have already confessed them, we know they are forgiven and we should not be
resurrecting what God has said no longer exists. If we have not confessed them, then we need
to be honest with God trust His faithfulness, and ask for His forgiveness and cleansing
from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9).
This look back requires daily attention.
So, then, when is it good to look back? Answer
with another question: Does it draw me
toward God, or away from Him?
No comments:
Post a Comment