It's Time to Move On by Rev. Bernese Shaw

NRSV Isaiah 43:18-19 Do not remember the former things or consider the things of old. I am about to do a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.

Like Hurricane Irene that just hit the Eastern Shore with its winds and rain, moved from NC to Canada, sometimes in life it is time for us to just move on through whatever mistakes we have made in life because we will try to explain, blame (it is because of someone else or it was the other person’s fault) or find whatever excuse we can. There is an old saying that “everybody makes mistakes that’s why there are erasers on pencils!” So why do we agonize over our past mistakes and missteps? Is it because of guilt, embarrassment, shame, and/or remorse? Whatever the reason, God wants us to admit our mistakes – admit to Him our wrong doings (like King David, who made more mistake than him), learn from them, and then forget them. In this life, you will make so many mistakes during the course of your lifetime that you will never be able to count them all anyway. There is not a righteous man on earth who does what is right and never sins, Ecclesiastes 7:20. So why keep a running tally? Thank God He does not hold our sins and mistakes against us, Psalm 130:3 says If you, O LORD, kept a record of sins, O LORD, who could stand? We are all guilty of mistakes. Some are more grievous than others, and the repercussions and consequences are different. But don’t let pass mistakes hold your spirit hostage. If you make a mistake, fix it if you can, apologize if it is necessary, and move on. People may not forgive you, but God will. Therefore, do not let the mistakes and missteps of the past hold you. Press onward and upward toward the heavenly prize and keep your eye and thoughts on Jesus. So don’t let your old lifestyle hold you hostage. Philippians 3:13 says One thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead. The past is the past no matter how you may want to go back and make things right. This day, take up your cross wherever you are now and run on. God wants us to move ahead despite our faults and shortcomings. He said in Micah 7:19 that he will throw our sins into the depths of the sea. Sometimes people want to remind you of who you used to be and during this time when people look down on you remember that Romans 3:23 says All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. So don’t worry about your past life, everyone has one. Once you commit your life to Christ, you are a new creation 2 Cor 5:17 says If any man/woman be in Christ, he/she is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. You have to remember this as you start a new start because folks want to constantly put you down when you are trying to do what is right. It is easy to get discouraged and want to give up (in your personal life or on your job), but you must turn a deaf ear to the naysayers and their criticisms; just turn it over to God. Remember, your God/our God is a restorer, He repairs, your God/our God is bigger than any adversary and doesn’t want you to wallow in the past. A good example of this is Saul’s conversion to Paul in the book of Act chapter 9; who killed/persecuted Jesus/Christians before his conversion, but our God used this sinner for His Glory and our God can do the same with us. During moments of self-pity and self doubts, it is easy to dig up skeletons from the past but cast those thoughts into the sea of forgiveness. So, spend some time in prayer, reading the Word, and in meditation with God and just ask God for forgiveness of your mistakes, forgive yourself (let me say that again, forgive yourself), and move on. You have great things to do for God, and He needs you to carry them out and walk in his light every day. Live fully in the present so God can bring about your bright future in the Him. William McDowell sings “I won’t go back. I have been changed, healed, free and delivered. I have joy, peace, grace and favor. Right now is the moment, today is the day. I have been changed and I have waited; I have waited for this moment to come and I won’t let it pass because I won’t go back, can’t go back to the way it use to be before your presence came and changed me. All my shames, guilt, sins have been forgiven… I won’t go back, can’t go back to the way it use to be”. IT’S TIME TO MOVE ON - Amen.