Looking at our nation and around the world we see such evil, wickedness, corruption, impatience, anger and greed. We cry out for mercy, we pray for a change in attitudes and behavior. We shake our heads in disbelief - hardly believing what we are reading and seeing on the news. How could ‘they’ do what they are doing, behave the way they are behaving, think the way they are thinking?

Self-esteem, self-preservation is funny. The speck in another’s eye is visibly obvious, but the boulder in our own often goes unnoticed. In our desire to right the wrongs in others we seldom realize the person who most needs to change is me. Seeing ourselves as a sinner struggling to walk the narrow road in this evil and perverse generation we are lifted about the fray of the fallen among us and, forgetting what lies behind, we reach forward to what is ahead for those that are His.

Forgetting what lies behind..?

Forgetting that I too wandered and still do from time to time far from the ways of the LORD makes me more disapproving of others. Forgetting that it is only by grace alone, through faith alone in Christ alone that I am saved makes me judgmental. Forgetting that apart from the mercy and love of my LORD Jesus Christ I too am capable of the evil and wickedness of a Hitler, Mussolini or a Kermit Gosnell makes me unreasonable, angry and impatient with others. Forgetting that in me dwells no good thing, that apart from Him I can do nothing I become more critical than caring. Forgetting that all my righteous deeds are as filthy rags I find myself becoming more demanding of others and much less forgiving, compassionate and kind.

I will be eternally grateful that our LORD has promised:

“For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.” Hebrews 8:2

But those that have been forgiven much love much so perhaps we should remember.