Don't look back!

 

I am so blessed; the older I get, the more I realize how blessed I am. I've never been unemployed. I have always had a comfortable home, food on the table, nice clothes to wear, friends, and family, and I have been a follower of Jesus since I was 12. I have "officially" been in ministry for the past two years. Before that, it had only been in the past 15 years that I started to take my faith seriously. I lived for nearly forty years believing in Jesus and not acting like it. I cannot imagine the opportunities I missed to share Jesus and I often wonder what my life would be like had I accepted a call to ministry earlier in my life. 

All of these thoughts came to my head this morning as I was reading a summary of the battle between Judah and Babylon. Judah lost and thousands of God's chosen were sent into exile. 

"In the eighth year of Nebuchadnezzar's reign, he took Jehoiachin prisoner. As the Lord had said beforehand, Nebuchadnezzar carried away all the treasures from the Lord's Temple and the royal palace. He stripped away all the gold objects that King Solomon of Israel had placed in the Temple. King Nebuchadnezzar took all of Jerusalem captive, including all the commanders and the best of the soldiers, craftsmen, and artisans -- 10,000 in all. Only the poorest people were left in the land. Nebuchadnezzar led King Jehoiachin away as a captive to Babylon, along with the queen mother, his wives and officials, and all Jerusalem's elite. He also exiled 7000 of the best troops and 1000 craftsmen and artisans, all of whom were strong and fit for war." (2 Kings 24:12-16)

Everything was stripped from Jerusalem. Because of her sins, Israel and Judah were both soundly defeated. I often wonder why the Lord came against this tiny nation in such a devastating way. Then I remembered a story told by Jesus about a master who leaves his servants in charge. He tells the crowd if the servants do what the master demands and they manage the household properly, the servants will be rewarded. If the servants abuse their power and do not do the master's will, they will be punished.

"And a servant who knows what the master wants, but isn't prepared and doesn't carry out those instructions, will be severely punished. But someone who does not know, and then does something wrong, will be punished only lightly. When someone has been given much, much will be required in return; and when someone has been entrusted with much, even more will be required." (Luke 12:47,48)

In many ways, I feel like I am the servant who was given much and squandered it. Israel did the same thing. They were given everything. They were blessed beyond all imagination. They were given much and much was required of them.  What have you been given? Have you used all that you have for God's glory? I know I have been just like Israel. I have been given much and for most of my life, I lived for myself instead of my master. Please forgive me, Lord. 

But, I cannot look back. All I can do is strive forward and dedicate all that I am, right now, to the Lord. I need to seek God's grace and mercy for the mismanagement of his blessings and serve Him however he desires. I need to genuinely love Him and serve him by obeying his will from this day forward. What about you?