Check Your Mirrors

Philippeans 3:13b-14

Check your mirrors!

Maybe you can still hear your driving instructor giving that command. Check your mirrors. Know what’s around you. Know what’s coming up on you. Know what’s behind you.

That is important advice, but can you imagine a driver driving down the road only watching his mirrors? Only being concerned about what is behind? That would be a disaster.

The same is true for your spiritual walk. God doesn’t want you focused on what is behind, but looking towards the future. He says through the Apostle Paul in Philippians chapter 3:

But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. – Philippeans 3:13b-14

God doesn’t want your past to define who you are today. God doesn’t want you dwelling on your sins and beating yourself up about them.

God has forgiven all of those sins in Jesus. In fact through Jesus those sins have been erase from God’s memory, so that he no longer sees them. So don’t look back, look forward.

Who you are and who you will be is defined by Christ. In Christ you are God’s dearly loved child. In Christ you are a citizen of heaven. So look forward, look forward to the blessings that God has for you in this life and in the life to come.

Check your mirrors, that is important advice for a driver, but not for a Christian. We are looking forward in Christ to heaven. Amen.

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Timothy Hartwig
Timothy Hartwig

Tim Hartwig is currently serving as President of the Evangelical Lutheran Theological Seminary.

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