Look Forward

In a recent Peanuts cartoon, Charlie Brown approached his psychiatrist, Lucy, for some advice about life.

Lucy: Life, Charlie Brown, is like a deck chair.
Charlie: Like a what?
Lucy: Have you ever been on a cruise ship? Passengers
open up these canvas deck chairs so they can sit in the sun.
Some people place their chairs facing the rear of the ship
so they can see where they've been. . . . Other people face
their chairs forward. . . . They want to see where they
are going. On the cruise ship of life, Charlie Brown,
which way is your deck chair facing?
Charlie: I've never been able to get one unfolded!
Charles M. Schultz, "Peanuts,

An interesting conversation took place with a friend on January 2nd of this year. He had lamented about all that life offered him this past year and how frustrated he was with some of the events and people of 2008. In his voice as I listened, I heard resentment, blame and distress as he talked about his past 12 months.

I asked, “Which way is your chair facing? It is facing forward or backwards?”

He looked puzzled and baffled. I explained to him the Peanuts cartoon.

He responded, “That makes a difference on how I see life won’t it?”

You got it I proclaimed!

There are many scripture verses that encourage us to lay aside the negativities of the past, and to look ahead. Here are two.

"This one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 3:14)

"Remember not the former things, neither consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing; it shall spring forth; I hope you recognize. I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert." Isaiah 43:19-20

As my friend walked to is car, he shouted, “I am not looking back – I am looking forward.”

Amen! I whispered. Amen!
Pastor William