Great devotional resources:
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7/7/04
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the
new has come! .” 2 Corinthians 5:17 (NIV)
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Satchel Paige has been quoted as saying, “Don’t look back. Something might be
gaining on you.” All of us have pasts with parts we're not too proud of. No
matter how carefully we may tread, life has a way of tripping us up. This is
part and parcel of living in a fallen world with an Enemy in ever hot pursuit.
One of the great claims of Christianity is that of the new beginning. It is the
reason Jesus suffered and died on the cross; to give all an opportunity to lay
claim to a new beginning. And we don't even have to wait until the New Year to
start. Lamentations 3:22-23 states, "Because of the LORD’S great love we are not
consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is
your faithfulness" (NIV). Why are these compassions, or mercies, available fresh
daily? Because we need them at least that often.
Sadly, while we each relish being able to view each day as a clean slate, that's
not what we hold out to others. We are far too likely to be the ones calling
attention to what might be gaining on them. In fact, we may even take pleasure
when their pasts catch up and consumes them. What a horror!
Yet every time we gossip, seek out and support the spread of rumor, and
generally point out all the dark blotches in another's past to anyone who will
listen, we are actually fueling the energies of Satan, the great accuser, as he
seeks all means available to steal, kill, and destroy. We become his
accomplices.
Gossip, whether factual or not, about sordidness in someone's past, robs them of
the blessing of a new beginning. It's one thing to call a brother or sister to
account over a sin in which they are actively engaged -- doing so may save their
souls and bring glory to God's Kingdom. It is entirely another thing to rekindle
the pain of a failed past that has been turned away from -- doing so puts us in
league with the devil and his demons.
A better quote than Satchel Paige's comes from George Eliot who said, “It is
never too late to be what you might have been.” That's a truth we would all
joyfully claim for ourselves. We must extend it to others with equal joy and
mercy.
The old has gone! The new has come! Hallelujah for new beginnings. Spread them
around.
-- Stephen R. Clark
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Stephen (Stephen@StephenRClark.com) resides in Fishers, Indiana and operates
FishersWorship.com and FishersFind.com. He is a professional writer and
communications consultant.
These weekly email devotionals
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