Hebrews 11:15 - And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, the might have had opportunity to have returned.
This scripture from the book of Hebrews might seem a bit odd if we don't understand the context. The eleventh chapter of Hebrews is often called the "Faith Hall of Fame." It speaks of people like Noah, Abraham, Samson, David, and many lesser known heroes of the Old Testament. Verse 15 is speaking of Abraham when he left the Chaldean city of Ur in pursuit of his promised land. It is also a reference to the children of Israel after they left Egypt. They were seeking a place God had promised them. In the case of Abraham, he left family, friends, and everything to obey what God had put in his heart to do. He went where God lead him, not knowing how it would turn out, but simply obeying God by faith. No doubt there were hard days when he wondered if had made a mistake. But he didn't let himself dwell on those thoughts for long. For if he had, he might have turned around and gone back to where he started.
I once heard a conversation between two men whom I knew had been delivered from a lifestyle of drugs and alcohol when they came to God. One guy was talking about his "testimony" of where God brought him from. The other guy basically said, "I don't like to dwell on those things to much. God has delivered me from that and I like to leave it in the past." The first God responded, "I like to remember where I came from." Sadly, the guy who liked to remember where he came from has returned to his former lifestyle. He must have spent too much time dwelling on the past. When the pressures of life mounted up, it was easy to go back to what he used to be.
The point I am making is this: all of us have a past. All of us have made choices. We can't undo yesterday anymore than we can see tomorrow from today. We must do the best we can by faith. Yes, we learn from the past. The past is important so that we don't make the same mistakes again. But too much time studying the past will rob us of the joys of today and the hopes of tomorrow.
Today is a brand new day. Let us live it with joy and appreciate what God has given us. Yesterday is gone and tomorrow may not come. Live for the moment with joy. If is all we truly have!
Trusting in Jesus,
Sullivan Jones
This scripture from the book of Hebrews might seem a bit odd if we don't understand the context. The eleventh chapter of Hebrews is often called the "Faith Hall of Fame." It speaks of people like Noah, Abraham, Samson, David, and many lesser known heroes of the Old Testament. Verse 15 is speaking of Abraham when he left the Chaldean city of Ur in pursuit of his promised land. It is also a reference to the children of Israel after they left Egypt. They were seeking a place God had promised them. In the case of Abraham, he left family, friends, and everything to obey what God had put in his heart to do. He went where God lead him, not knowing how it would turn out, but simply obeying God by faith. No doubt there were hard days when he wondered if had made a mistake. But he didn't let himself dwell on those thoughts for long. For if he had, he might have turned around and gone back to where he started.
I once heard a conversation between two men whom I knew had been delivered from a lifestyle of drugs and alcohol when they came to God. One guy was talking about his "testimony" of where God brought him from. The other guy basically said, "I don't like to dwell on those things to much. God has delivered me from that and I like to leave it in the past." The first God responded, "I like to remember where I came from." Sadly, the guy who liked to remember where he came from has returned to his former lifestyle. He must have spent too much time dwelling on the past. When the pressures of life mounted up, it was easy to go back to what he used to be.
The point I am making is this: all of us have a past. All of us have made choices. We can't undo yesterday anymore than we can see tomorrow from today. We must do the best we can by faith. Yes, we learn from the past. The past is important so that we don't make the same mistakes again. But too much time studying the past will rob us of the joys of today and the hopes of tomorrow.
Today is a brand new day. Let us live it with joy and appreciate what God has given us. Yesterday is gone and tomorrow may not come. Live for the moment with joy. If is all we truly have!
Trusting in Jesus,
Sullivan Jones
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