Hosanna Restoration Church

I was thinking about this verse in relation to what Paul began to say in this chapter. He is pointing out how we were. He speaks as though the past is the past! He speaks of how we were as though we are not that way any longer. How can this possibly be? Well, Paul understood the grace of God and the power of Jesus Christ who is mighty to save.

In Exodus Aaron wore a head piece that would remove the guilt if anything was wrong with the offerings that the people gave to God. (Exodus 28:38) This is what Jesus does for us. He is our helmet of salvation. So the question for us all to consider is; “Who is ahead?” Are we ahead or is our past ahead? Have we let the past pass away or is it passing us and obscuring our view of what God has promised?

It is pretty easy to slip into wrong thinking. We can get so focused on how wrong things look that we forget what God has promised. This week I was praying and of course the puppy was with me sleeping in the crook of my arm and my hand went to sleep. I was carefully trying to adjust without disturbing the comfort of the puppy when God said, “How could I not be more concerned for your comfort that you are for the puppy’s comfort?” Think about that. What all is involved in our comfort?

Before we can really think about that, we need to actually accept the fact that God is concerned about our comfort! It seems like a strange thing to say, but it is oh so true. Only two people believed God and entered the Promised Land. Why would God promise us things and not provide the way for them. Just because there are obstacles, does not mean we cannot get there. God had the plan then and He has the plan now.

If we think that He is so far off and uncaring, why would we want to draw near or care much ourselves? If we are convinced that life is meant to be one struggle after another that we must get through on our own in order to maybe get into heaven, it will wear us out. It has worn many out and caused many others to fall into deception and false promises of other ways into heaven.

If we will only believe that Jesus is the way and that He has made the way, then we can enter into the heavenly places that He has seated us in. We will never let anything get in our way, because we know the answer to our prayers is on the way. Our access to His presence is ever present, so we can look beyond the obstacles and see the prize. The prize is not far off in heaven beyond our present hope. Jesus is our present hope and help. The greatest prize is of course when we see Him face to face, but until then, let’s live like Jesus intended; always looking to the author and finisher of our faith. That will keep the past in the past and us running in the lead for the prize.