It was a long time coming, but it finally happened! It probably wasn't big news where you live but it made the headlines of the papers here. It was even mentioned on television during the evening news!
What did you miss? What was this milestone event??? My old high school football team finally won a game! For the first time in 35 games, a span covering 4 years, the longest losing streak in NC high school football finally came to an end!
As I read the details the next day in the newspaper, what caught my attention wasn't the final score or the action photo from the game, it was something that the coach had told his players when the contest was over. He told his team, "...we need to be a lot more interested in starting a winning streak than ending a losing streak." What was important to the coach was that his players not worry about the past, but rather focus on today and the future.
I couldn't help but think about how true this is in our lives as well...
Someone once concluded that 92% of the things that people worry about fall into one of three categories:
What did you miss? What was this milestone event??? My old high school football team finally won a game! For the first time in 35 games, a span covering 4 years, the longest losing streak in NC high school football finally came to an end!
As I read the details the next day in the newspaper, what caught my attention wasn't the final score or the action photo from the game, it was something that the coach had told his players when the contest was over. He told his team, "...we need to be a lot more interested in starting a winning streak than ending a losing streak." What was important to the coach was that his players not worry about the past, but rather focus on today and the future.
I couldn't help but think about how true this is in our lives as well...
Someone once concluded that 92% of the things that people worry about fall into one of three categories:
- things that have already happened,
- things that haven't yet and may not happen,
- things that we have no control over.
Perhaps you can relate to that...
But Jesus gave us a different example. With Jesus, what was important was today with a focus on the future! As Jesus was dying on the cross, there on either side of him, were criminals who were also being crucified. One of these men acknowledged Jesus as the Son of God, and asked Jesus to remember him when he came into his kingdom. Jesus answered him, "I tell you the truth TODAY, you will be with me in paradise." Luke 23:43 (NIV - emphasis mine)
In that defining moment, what was most important wasn't the man's past - it was his future! And so it is for each of us! By the shed blood of Jesus Christ, our past - our sins - have been forgiven! It no longer exists! The Bible describes it this way in 2 Corinthians 5:17 "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away. Behold, all things are become new!"
How about you? Ending a losing streak or starting a winning streak? Are you living in the past or looking toward the future? Are you ready to start a winning streak in your life by living for the Lord? It can happen today!
-adapted
No comments:
Post a Comment