horton's who
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learning about God's grace
| yesterday to forward |
Yesterday, All my troubles seemed so far away, Now it looks as though they're
here to stay, Oh, I believe in yesterday.
Paul McCartney
If only we could go back to yesterday, or the day before, or the years before.
Everything seemed so good – yesterday.
Some things get better with age. That’s what’s said about wine, cheese, and
twinkies. (Well, twinkies just last forever, not necessarily get better.) - Why not life
too? Aren’t we supposed to get better with age? Aren’t things supposed to get
better with age? As I get older, I see at times, disappointment is an unwanted
surprise.
Lately, to hear of a person in mid-life or older rocked by scandal and failure is not
uncommon. Ministers that fall, politicians that lose public trust, or stalwarts in
community showing kinks in armor not only bring shame and hurt to themselves
and people around them, but cause others to question the right. (My own
mistakes and wrongs not excluded). Surely these people, whom set out on the
right road, never intended to get lost. These men of honor and example never
intended to be fodder for disrepute. They never dreamed as a child of great
success followed by inexcusable failure. They only planned for integrity and
character, not heartbreak and a fall from grace. If only they could go back to days
of glory and success. If only they could go back to yesterday. Yesterday, all my
troubles seemed so far away. Now it looks as though they’re here to stay.
Philippians 1:6 – And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you,
will continue His work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns
Philippians 2:12,13 – Work hard to show the results of your salvation, obeying
God with deep reverence and fear. For God is working in you, giving you the
desire and the power to do what pleases Him.
New Living Translation
There is a problem with looking back at yesterday – it paralyzes our present and
halts our future. We can’t change the problems of today by the nostalgia of
yesterday. We can’t rise above our failures and disappointments by wishing them
away. God is a God that moves forward. Although He is not limited by time, and
sees the present as well as the past and the future, God is constantly moving
forward. And we as His people must do the same. But failures, problems,
mistakes, valleys, disappointments, heartbreaks, and generally just life not
happening the way we want it to sometimes cause us – His people – to stop
moving altogether.
God teaches us that He is the One who started the good work in us – which is His
gift of salvation and His calling – and He is the One who will finish the work. He is
the One who will complete it – when we see Him face to face. God – who sent His
Son to die for our sins and had power enough to raise Him from the dead – can
surely help us through all of life’s ups and downs, failures and successes,
disappointments and heartbreaks.
You may be wallowing in hurt right now and crying for yesterday when all your
troubles seemed so far away. But realize that God has the power to take you from
now to tomorrow. God is moving – move with Him.
here to stay, Oh, I believe in yesterday.
Paul McCartney
If only we could go back to yesterday, or the day before, or the years before.
Everything seemed so good – yesterday.
Some things get better with age. That’s what’s said about wine, cheese, and
twinkies. (Well, twinkies just last forever, not necessarily get better.) - Why not life
too? Aren’t we supposed to get better with age? Aren’t things supposed to get
better with age? As I get older, I see at times, disappointment is an unwanted
surprise.
Lately, to hear of a person in mid-life or older rocked by scandal and failure is not
uncommon. Ministers that fall, politicians that lose public trust, or stalwarts in
community showing kinks in armor not only bring shame and hurt to themselves
and people around them, but cause others to question the right. (My own
mistakes and wrongs not excluded). Surely these people, whom set out on the
right road, never intended to get lost. These men of honor and example never
intended to be fodder for disrepute. They never dreamed as a child of great
success followed by inexcusable failure. They only planned for integrity and
character, not heartbreak and a fall from grace. If only they could go back to days
of glory and success. If only they could go back to yesterday. Yesterday, all my
troubles seemed so far away. Now it looks as though they’re here to stay.
Philippians 1:6 – And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you,
will continue His work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns
Philippians 2:12,13 – Work hard to show the results of your salvation, obeying
God with deep reverence and fear. For God is working in you, giving you the
desire and the power to do what pleases Him.
New Living Translation
There is a problem with looking back at yesterday – it paralyzes our present and
halts our future. We can’t change the problems of today by the nostalgia of
yesterday. We can’t rise above our failures and disappointments by wishing them
away. God is a God that moves forward. Although He is not limited by time, and
sees the present as well as the past and the future, God is constantly moving
forward. And we as His people must do the same. But failures, problems,
mistakes, valleys, disappointments, heartbreaks, and generally just life not
happening the way we want it to sometimes cause us – His people – to stop
moving altogether.
God teaches us that He is the One who started the good work in us – which is His
gift of salvation and His calling – and He is the One who will finish the work. He is
the One who will complete it – when we see Him face to face. God – who sent His
Son to die for our sins and had power enough to raise Him from the dead – can
surely help us through all of life’s ups and downs, failures and successes,
disappointments and heartbreaks.
You may be wallowing in hurt right now and crying for yesterday when all your
troubles seemed so far away. But realize that God has the power to take you from
now to tomorrow. God is moving – move with Him.