Hindsight is a wonderful gift; “if only I knew then what I know now” would be a motto that I could and should own! But I recognise I am who I am today because of what I have done (or not done) in the past, and I can’t change that.
I am currently using for my daily devotions one of the Bible in a Year publications. I’m in my third year of using it and I am amazed that knowing this is the third time of going through it, I see things that I cannot remember reading before! At the end of several days of reading is a summary sheet to remind you what you have read and to challenge you to see where it relates to your walk with Jesus today, and a question as to what the future holds. We are asked to look back, look up, look forward.
We serve a God who is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. On the comforting side that means he is a faithful, loving, creating God who, despite what we do, would never forsake or leave us. On the challenging side there is no compromise, God is a holy God, where justice and mercy and a bias for the most vulnerable is paramount. As his children we push the boundaries, but in reality we know what he requires from us – to love him with all our heart and soul and mind, and to love others as ourselves.
One of the joys of being moved around the Connexion in different appointments is that I am able to learn and move on, taking the experiences I have had, good and bad, and incorporating them into the new situation. Hindsight enables me to do that, and to try and not make the same mistakes again. And over the years I have found this hymn to be one of both comfort and challenge:
1 This, this is the God we adore,
our faithful, unchangeable friend,
whose love is as great as his power,
and neither knows measure nor end.
2 ‘Tis Jesus, the first and the last,
whose Spirit shall guide us safe home;
we’ll praise him for all that is past,
and trust him for all that’s to come.
Joseph Hart (1712–1767)
Reproduced from Singing the Faith Electronic Words Edition, number 67
Those final words “I’ll praise him for all that is past, and trust him for all that’s to come,” remind me to do just that and count my blessings.
Faithful, unchangeable God,
not limited by time or space,
ever faithful, ever sure,
give to us hearts of thankfulness for all that is past,
knowing it has shaped who we are today,
and hope for the future where we can trust in
your unfailing love to us and for us.
Amen.
You can download this Prayer for the Week here
Prayers for June written by Denise Creed
