Do-Overs & Forgiveness

[Min. Terry L. Buffaloe]

Once again it's inventory time. I'll see something or get a glimpse of a part of life when the moment seemed perfect, almost picturesque. A part of my mind will want to stay there, pick up life from that moment and live happily ever after. I think about dirt roads and smell the scent of pine and red clay. Sometimes its the sights and sounds of a Friday night in the city. When the eagle was flying and a dollar was worth 90 cents. I think of relatives and friends who seemed like permanent fixtures in an endless life. Many of them are long gone and once again I am humbled by my mortality. There are some things I'd like to do again. Somethings I'll never do again, and somethings I wish I had never done. There are quite a few things I'm glad I never did. Of all the things I would like to have done the one most important thing is that I would like to have developed my walk with Jesus long before I did. I compensate for my poor earthly timing by asking God to forgive me for my many sins and guide me in the right direction today. This is not a pity-party, but I can be my own worst critic. God has forgiven me, but every now and then I must clobber myself with the club of guilt. Somethings have stayed with me after my rebirth in the blood of Jesus. I thought "take it to the Lord in Prayer" was a line from a song sung by squares on Sunday morning in church. I was so blinded by the glitter of this world that I fell for traps that I would'nt think twice about today. Wisdom doesn't always have to be in hindsight. So today I walk boldly with the Lord, and gently make amends for the things of the past. Undoing my wrongs by sowing seeds of righteousness. Gently severing unhealthy ties and carefully creating new ones. I ask God to guide me. To order my steps in the way that He would have me walk. This does not exempt me from the foggy vision of the murky ether's of the of the flesh. Paul spoke of the thorn in his side. My thorn helps keep me from becoming cocky. I know I'm God's Son, but that only means that I must serve. Sometimes I'd love to have a smooth path laid out before; even a map that would help me sidestep the potholes of life. But where is the growth in that? How could I serve if I don't know the need? How could I lead where I have never been. How could I follow without trust in the Lord to guide me? The race is not always to the swift nor the battle to the strong, but he who endures to the end shall find victory. Even Jesus asked if the cup could be removed from Him He would prefer that, but if it is God's Will He would drink every drop. Jesus also asked, "Father why hath Thou forsaken me?" Yet in my moments of trivial melancholy I feel the strength of my Father in heaven rise up within me as I acknowledge, proclaim, praise and testify to the magnificence of His glory. I have written my way out of a moment of worldly reflection into the testimony of the greatness of my Father through His Son Jesus Christ. Amen