Every meaningful relationship results in disappointment at some point or another; someone always messes up. It's just part of the human condition.
But to live within the will of God is to seek reconciliation when this happens, and it's usually best if the one who messed up takes the initiative.
Oddly enough, in our relationship with God, that initiative has been taken by God. Now what shall we do in response?
I do not want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters, that our ancestors were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea, and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, and all ate the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank from the spiritual rock that followed them, and the rock was Christ. Nevertheless, God was not pleased with most of them, and they were struck down in the wilderness.
Now these things occurred as examples for us, so that we might not desire evil as they did. Do not become idolaters as some of them did; as it is written, “The people sat down to eat and drink, and they rose up to play.” We must not indulge in sexual immorality as some of them did, and twenty-three thousand fell in a single day. We must not put Christ to the test, as some of them did, and were destroyed by serpents. And do not complain as some of them did, and were destroyed by the destroyer. These things happened to them to serve as an example, and they were written down to instruct us, on whom the ends of the ages have come.
1 Corinthians 10:1-11
There is a saying that fits this passage of Scripture: Those who don’t know history are destined to repeat it. If you look at the biography section in your local library, you could read countless success stories of people to emulate. Maybe our best lessons come from those who have failed.
Scripture is filled with stories of what not to do. Paul reminds us to look back in order to move forward. Maybe we should ask ourselves questions like these as we go about our day: Do our desires reflect God’s love? Does what we want cause others pain? Do our choices make others want to know more about who we serve?
Live your life this day in ways that please God.
Kerri Peterson-Davis
Remind me, holy God, that you have walked with your people even when you were not pleased with their choices. Help me to learn from those who have lived before, so that I can live focused on you. Amen.
Don't be afraid.
Reaching out to God for forgiveness
is nothing to fear.
God is already reaching out to you
with nothing but love.