Hindsight & Foresight

I wrote most of this to a friend in an e-mail today, and thought I'd post some of it here...

Something that comes my mind every so often, is that we sometimes look at God's promises only in the future tense. When searching for God's comfort, we repeat to ourselves, "God will be faithful," "He will never leave or forsake me," "He will care for me," etc. All thinking positively towards the future. And there's nothing wrong with that at all. Yet, we sometimes forget the flip side of that equation, neglecting to look at God's promises in retrospect. There's great added comfort in remembering that "God has been faithful to me in the last year," that "God never left or forsook me in the last five years," and that "God has cared for me in the last 24 years of my life." The next question, "Will He stop doing all of this for me tomorrow?" I think not. Rather, I know not. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. His character never changes. And so, we can look back with joy and forward with hope, knowing as the great hymn says, "As Thou hast been, Thou forever wilt be."

The reminders are present that, in spite the "hoorah!" American attitude we often take, that we are not in control of our lives. God is. Yet, there is no shadow of turning with God; He is not slack concerning his promises. And so we purpose to "run with endurance the race that is set before us..." (Heb. 12:1) Still, we only run the race with endurance as we look "unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith..." (Heb. 12:2a) This is the same concept I mentioned above. The reason we can look forward with hope is because Christ authored our faith, and will be faithful to finish our faith. This is the sanctification process. We can look with foresight to God's coming faithfulness and with hindsight at God's past faithfulness - always with thanksgiving in our heart.

Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.

posted by Ryan Kelly @ 9:14 PM