Leaving the house on time with toddlers can be tricky. No matter how much prep you do the night before there’s always the unexpected poopy diaper or a missing shoe. When in doubt, check the black hole in the living room, “under the couch.”
One morning my four year-old was taking forever to eat. Every few minutes I had to remind him what he was doing. Finally I’m ready, the baby is ready and the car is packed. He’s almost done. Hurry up! I can’t be late. After all, I’m the Coordinator of my MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) group. Just last week I lectured the leaders about the importance of being on time.
Last bite, let’s go! He looks up at me and says, “More, please?”
What?! Seriously, he’s never had two before! How can he still be hungry? Then these crazy words slip out… “You can have a cookie.”
GASP! There’s no turning back now, even the baby wants one. Cookies for breakfast, great! I comfort myself in the fact that it’s at least homemade. That means healthier, right? I mentally put a tally in my “Mom Fail” category and shoo us out the door.
Isaiah 43:18 “Forget what happened in the past and do not dwell on events from long ago.”
As a mother verses like this give me great comfort. Some days are so long that events of the morning are defiantly things I’d like to forget about by the afternoon. However, putting this verse in the context of the entire chapter is about God’s mercy and Israel’s unfaithfulness. Let’s look at the beginning.
Isaiah 43:16-18 “The Lord makes a path through the sea and a road through the strong currents. He leads chariots and horses, an army and reinforcements. They lie down together and do not get up again. They are extinguished and snuffed out like a wick.”
This is what the Lord says: “Forget about happened in the past, and do not dwell on events from long ago. I am going to do something new. It is already happening. Don’t you recognize it? I will clear a way in the desert. I will make rivers on dry land.“
God had parted the Red Sea and destroyed Pharaoh and all of his men. He took care of the Israelites’ enemies and is now asking them to forget about it and look ahead to new things. The first time I read this I didn’t understand. Why is God asking them to forget about it? This is an amazingly awesome moment, something I would talk about forever. So why forget?
The Israelites must have been really scared. Imagine you are standing at the shore of the sea and an army is closing in. You are trapped, defeated, a true ‘all is lost’ moment. Then God parts the water and you walk across on dry land! You are terrified to take that first step, wondering how long will the walls of water hold. Kids are excited and probably throwing rocks into the water. Moms are freaking out and rushing them along. No one is allowed to pause and take in this incredible moment. What’s going to happen on the other side? The army can cross as easily as you. Are we really going to be safe?
Now on the other side the Israelites are not looking at the awesomeness of God. They are feeling ashamed for all of their doubt and fear. Ashamed that they were so terrified that they couldn’t stop to reflect on how God was caring for them. Finally safe, they begin to tally up all the ways they just failed.
Like the Israelites we also have doubt, areas of our lives that we don’t fully commit to God. I am constantly surrendering my worries, only to take them back. I am ashamed and keep a tally of my many failures. God does not intend for us to live in the past with our tallies. He wants us to forget about it and look to what is coming. He has some amazing moments mixed with the obstacles and challenges ahead of us. Let us not miss out on the new simply because we are stuck in the tallies of our own shortcomings.
Prayer:
Lord, I won’t dwell on the past. I will look to the new things you have for me. Help me to pause in every challenging moment to see your awesomeness. Help me to not focus on the negative and look towards the new things you are already planning for my family.
Moment of Truth:
James 4:6 “But He gives us more grace. That is why scripture says: ‘God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”
Reflect and Respond:
How often do you tally the good and the bad in your day? Today, focus on giving yourself grace and journal a few of the amazing moments that came after you chose to forget.
2 Comments
Darlene
Thanks Becky that was beautiful. God is so good all the time
Susie
I so needed to read this today… Too many failures to count, and trying to let them go! Thank you!