past

As a new year gets underway, it’s natural for us to take a little time to examine our time. We review the highs and lows of the past 12 months, going over the goals we achieved or missed.

We can take stock of where we are in the moment, what sort of person we’ve become, and whether we like our present condition.

Using a calendar and a notepad, we can plan an agenda for the next 12 months. What do we aim to produce? What do we seek from the Lord?

Taking steps like these is commonplace, but not everyone treats the three main phases of time in equal fashion.

I found a few images that illustrate the differences.

For example, some folks downgrade the past; what’s done is done. We can’t change the past but we can improve on it.

Others esteem the past as the basis for productivity. The better we understand our history, the more we can achieve as we build on what it provides.

There are those who stress the present moment; it’s all we have. The past is out of reach and the future is an imaginary construct.

But others take the opposite approach and overlook the present. They accept it as a given but invest themselves in exploring the treasures of the past or realizing the possibilities of the future.

Some people harmonize past, present, and future in equal proportions.

This idea of balance aligns with the biblical teaching about the significance of time for our spiritual lives.

“Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith. ⁸Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” – Hebrews 13:7-8

All three stages of time–past, present, and future–have value. And role models authenticate this–church leaders and Jesus Christ Himself.

Let’s take them in reverse order and start with the Lord.

Verse 8 emphasizes the stability of Christ’s character and His eternal nature. Like God Himself (see Malachi 3:6), Jesus doesn’t change. We can rely on Him without consternation.

Our circumstances may fluctuate, we abandon opinions we once held firm, and sometimes we have a hard time reaching a decision. In contrast with our erratic and unpredictable ways, Jesus merits our dependence. He won’t let us down. The One who performed miracles 2000 years ago works wonders today and He’s promised to continue. Who He is doesn’t vacillate; what He does never crumbles.

Jesus is the paragon of spirituality stability; but His perfection may tempt us to treat Him as too distant to relate to us. Verse 7 counters this fear by introducing church leaders as examples whom we may emulate. These men and women exhibit steadfastness because they draw their personal strength from Christ. In this way, they demonstrate what discipleship looks like across the years.

First, we look to the past. The writer of this epistle instructs us to remember these leaders, in particular their speech. Those who invest the truth of God’s Word in us deserve our respect. And we do ourselves a favor by recalling what they’ve told us about the kingdom of God.

Second, we engage in reflection. Before we chase the dreams of the future, we will do well to dedicate time now to contemplation. As we reflect on the lives of leaders who’ve served the Lord with honor, we give ourselves the opportunity to tie things together. We clarify how to prioritize Jesus, what we can expect of God’s guidance, and how the commitments we make now will affect others.

Third, we set up ourselves for a blessed future by copying our leaders. We may feel second-rate compared to those whom we hold in high regard, but these godly men and women are no different than us. They had rich spiritual lives because they followed Jesus Christ. He’s the One who made them the mentors and guides they became.

We can experience the blessings of God in the new year that will unfold before us. As we look to the Lord Jesus and receive the wisdom of those who’ve walked with Him, we will set ourselves up for what the Father has in store for us.

May 2019 be a year of balance and fulfillment in your discipleship journey.

“He will be the stability of your times, abundance of salvation, wisdom, and knowledge; the fear of the LORD is Zion’s treasure.” – Isaiah 33:6 (ESV)