Famous Christian writer CS Lewis is quoted as saying "You can't go back and change the beginning, but you can start where you are and change the ending."
I feel 2021 is a year of change. We can make sure we also change. Life's pathway often sees us messing up. We all blunder at some things. In fact, every single year we can look back at the previous one and see where we've failed. Our failures seem to cry louder than our victories. Have you found that? Is that strange phenomenon because we have more failures than victories? NO! It's due to Satan re-feeding them into us. Also, when we go down that thought-path, we create a downward spiral to the point that our life seems to be made up of mostly bad news.
Leave the bad news to the newspapers. The reason why bad news sells is because of its impact on the human population. Bad news doesn't empower, it overpowers.
Contrarily, we are called to be victors in spiritual warfare. Yet we often feel we are losing the battle. Do you self-condemn when you fail? Are you ready to thrust your own sword through yourself, feeling useless for the umpteenth time? Called to be a warrior but feeling like a jellyfish?, Perhaps at times doubting you are even a worthy Christian?
The finish line of your life has not yet come. The ending of one's life is far more critical than the beginning, as it's at the end the epitaph is written.
Thankfully, every day is new, bringing with it renewed opportunities. Psalm 68:19 says, "Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation. Selah." Every day, the Lord gives us a fresh start. A new beginning. A chance to rectify yesterday. Every day the Lord commences it with hope.
If These Walls Could Talk
if these walls could talk,
how many arguments would they say you’ve had?
How many good times have you turned bad?
how many outbursts have made your family sad?
If this quilt could talk,
how many of your tears would it say you’ve shed?
How many weeping’s have drenched that bed?
Yet, how many times for others has your heart bled?
if this car could talk,
how many praises would you have lifted to the king?
how many hymns would it say you sing?
how many prayers for others would you bring?
When we think about our time here on earth, there is only today. Tomorrow is for the vision we have for our life. But today is for carrying out that vision.
Today we can change the course of our own history. We can make 2021 a year of abundant personal spiritual growth by changing what we do, by modifying our goals, by seeking first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, as commanded.
After Christ died, Jesus’ disciples were at a loss. That is, until He resurrected and appeared to them again. From that time, they found another gear. The pace quickened. All of a sudden time to them became short. They praised more, had greater fellowship with each other, and deeper communion with God. He meant something entirely different to them now. The race had begun. In that instant, they began changing the epitaph on their gravestones.
Today, we can begin changing the epitaph on our gravestone and the outcome of every day by doing similar.
Today’s prayer:Dear Lord, I have fallen into the trap of dwelling on yesterday with all its blunders, and getting miserable. Please help me squeeze as much of You into today as I can, and forget those pursuits of little or no value. Help me find another gear and another one after that.
Photo by Giorgio Trovato
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