Leave It Behind You

Faith & Inspiration

By Charles Towne

This article is a tad more convoluted and confusing than my average convoluted and confusing articles. You are probably asking, What does he mean by that?, so let me explain myself.

I have an advanced degree in the fine art of messing-upism.

Without going into it overly much, I must confess to messing up mightily in my somewhat blasé and dull life as a professional small boy at the advanced age of eighty-six plus years.

If we - that is you and I - were to start fresh today, by the time the sun sets on our new day, like as not, we would have messed up somehow, some way, to a greater or lesser degree.

I imagine that the most important thing about messing up is getting up on our hind footsies, brushing ourselves off, putting on a bold face, and taking the Father’s hand again, while remembering that bible verse, “Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.”

To me, that verse means pure and simple, LEAVE IT BEHIND YOU!

Yes, leave it behind you. Start your life all fresh and clean and new today. Go forward and know that Papa God is looking deep into your heart. And because He is God, and because He loves each of us so much, when He tells us that He is going to cast our sins into the depths of the sea, beyond recall, He means it!!

I like the idea that we all have an equal opportunity, an equal chance, to be better than we ever dreamed of being.

We might ask, what am I intended to be?! And though it might sound somewhat vague, and very much like a riddle, I believe I have discovered the answer, and it is as follows:

Without God we are less than we could ever be with God.

Or, put another way...

With God we are more than we could ever be without God.

Yes, I know, convoluted and confusing... until you read it over a few times.

So, what does the world need?

Remember, we all have an equal chance at being better than we are. And to get to what that means, to get to the point of being able to 'leave it behind' and step forward, again and again and again, we must know this: if you were the only person on planet earth, you are so very important that Jesus would have died willingly, just for you!

Wow, does that make you valuable or what?!

You are valued! And you are valued just as you are!

Just as you are.

God wouldn't love you any more if you were any better than you are right now - because He already loves you so thoroughly. And He wouldn't love you any less if you were any worse than you are right now - because - yep - He already loves you so thoroughly.

God loves you - and me - and us - so deeply, so beyond any comprehension - right now, right this second, just as we are. And I believe He wants us to know this, because this knowing - that we are valued and loved truly, deeply by God - is what the world needs - what we need. It's what gives us the place to stand. Again and again and again. To stand firmly. Solidly. In His heart and hand. Loved. It's what gives us the strength, with Him, to leave our "its" behind us, and walk forward to a new start, a new day, a new life better than before.

Live fully,

Love openly,

And make a difference, today!

OUR PRAYER

Dear Holy Friend, our wonderful God, how we love you! We thank you for being willing to put our sins behind you. Help me, and each of your children to follow your example. One thing I am thankful for is the fact that when you say “The depths of the sea” you mean, BEYOND RECALL! Wow! What a wonderful and gracious friend you are! We humans seem to take great pleasure in dredging up all sorts of stinky stuff from the past, but you, Oh Holy one, you in your great mercy and love dispose of it permanently, forever! Thanks for your mercy Daddy, thank you for your love. In Jesus' name we ask it, Amen

Charles Towne is first and foremost a Christian. An octogenarian, author, journalist, wildlife photographer, naturalist, caregiver, and survivor, his life has been and continues to be, a never-ending adventure filled with possibilities never imagined. He has adopted the philosophy that to Live fully, laugh uproariously, love passionately, and learn like there is no tomorrow, is a formula for a long and joy-filled life.