"...lest perhaps such a one should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow."
(2 Cor. 2:7)
Anyone the least familiar with the life of Paul knows he had regrets concerning his past. Hauling both men and women off to filthy prisons, to be tortured, depriving their little ones of a mother and father; persecuting the “Little Flock,” for whom their Good Shepherd had shed His life’s blood; approving the stoning death of the first Christian martyr, Steven, with his angelic countenance branded into Paul’s conscience, never to be forgotten; and worse of all, the memory of his insane hatred for the One he now loved, served, adored, and worshiped.
But this stalwart Christian was not crippled by vain regrets. In other words, he did not let his past paralyze him. He was not a member of the morose club who are incessantly whining, “If I had only…” He knew he couldn’t recall the past. He knew he couldn’t gather up spilt milk, so he poured himself a fresh glass. He didn’t waste time praying about the past but got up and started doing something in the present. He did not worry about what he could not affect or change in the past. In Paul’s mind, it was wrong to mortgage the present with the past. He followed his Lord’s instructions, when He said, “Let the dead bury the dead.”
Satchel Paige, that great relief pitcher for the Cleveland Indians in the 40’s, had some great home-spun philosophies, one of which was, “Don’t look back; dey might be gainin’ on ya.” Paul would have said, “Amen” to that statement, for the Apostle had written over two thousand years ago, “Forgetting those which are behind.”
But this stalwart Christian was not crippled by vain regrets. In other words, he did not let his past paralyze him. He was not a member of the morose club who are incessantly whining, “If I had only…” He knew he couldn’t recall the past. He knew he couldn’t gather up spilt milk, so he poured himself a fresh glass. He didn’t waste time praying about the past but got up and started doing something in the present. He did not worry about what he could not affect or change in the past. In Paul’s mind, it was wrong to mortgage the present with the past. He followed his Lord’s instructions, when He said, “Let the dead bury the dead.”
Satchel Paige, that great relief pitcher for the Cleveland Indians in the 40’s, had some great home-spun philosophies, one of which was, “Don’t look back; dey might be gainin’ on ya.” Paul would have said, “Amen” to that statement, for the Apostle had written over two thousand years ago, “Forgetting those which are behind.”
"God can give us a crop in one year that makes up for ten."
(Joel 2:25)
M.L. Jones.
By An Old Disciple
No comments:
Post a Comment