01 May 2004

Looking forward to the past....

I've been thinking a little recently about just how much we tend to think about the past. For the past 18 months, I have been thinking about what God has done for me in the past, and how perfectly He has arranged my circumstances to get me to Brazil. I've been looking to the past to get me to this one moment -- finally arriving in Brazil -- and can't say that I know much about the future. I know what I'll be doing, but only in a broad sense. I have no idea whose life will change because of me, and I have no idea who will come in and out of my life, unwittingly changing me.
Now I don't believe that we should never look back, because we wouldn't learn anything from our mistakes if we didn't. And we wouldn't know the faithfulness of God if we didn't look back to His Word, written thousands of years ago. Heck, I wouldn't know His faithfulness if I didn't look back to yesterday, or even this morning! Our task, however, is not looking back on the faithfulness of God. Our task is obedience. Is it always easy? No. Is it always fun? No. Is it always fulfilling? Contrary to popular belief, no -- not immediately, anyway. Sometimes it's the thankless tasks that we are to be obedient and do. Every obedient action takes us one step closer to hearing those words, "Well done, good and faithful servant."
I pray that our obedience surpasses that of Lot's wife, who was told not to look back. I pray that it surpasses that of the Israelites, who grumbled because all they had to eat was manna. That it would surpass that of the rich young ruler, who could not part with his money. I pray that our obedience would be that of the early church, willing to face anything, if only the name of Christ were spread throughout the world.

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