On 2 September, we were having our evening family devotion using the Keys for Kids materials supplied by the church.
The devotion for that day was called Yearbook Memories, which I have reproduced below...
"So how was your summer vacation?" Tim asked his friend Jackson.
"Terrible." Jackson groaned. "We spent a week at the beach, and all it did was rain the whole time. On the day we were going to the amusement park, my little sister got sick right before we were supposed to leave, so we couldn't go. The whole summer was wasted."Tim knew Jackson had a tendency to complain about things, but he figured there must have been something his friend enjoyed during the summer. Tim smiled to himself. I'll see how soon I can get him to say something good about it, he decided. "Did you play much baseball?" asked Tim. "Before school got out last year, you told me you were going to play first base on a summer team."
Jackson shrugged. "Yeah, but the coach made me sit on the bench a lot more than I wanted to. He said the other kids had to have a chance to play, too."
Tim shook his head. Getting Jackson to say something positive was even tougher than he'd expected. Then he got an idea. "Come on, Jackson! Give me the yearbook version of what happened," said Tim. Jackson turned toward his friend with a confused look. "Yearbook version? What are you talking about?"
"You know. Every year the school issues a yearbook-a bunch of highlights from the school year, right?" asked Tim. Jackson nodded, still confused. "Well," continued Tim, "when's the last time you saw something in there about all the bad things that happened? Did you see anything about the window that was broken in the back of the building?" Tim grinned. "Did the yearbook mention how many times Susan Walters told you to get lost when you smiled at her in gym class?" he teased.
"Very funny," grumbled Jackson. "Why would I-or anyone else-want to remember those things?"
"Exactly!" exclaimed Tim. "I figure we should think more about the things that went right. Most of the other stuff isn't worth remembering anyway. That's why I want to hear the 'yearbook version'-the good things-of your summer vacation. So . . . let's hear it, okay?" He grinned at his friend.
Jackson grinned a little, too. "Well . . ." he began, "I did have fun at camp . . ."
HOW ABOUT YOU?What do you dwell on-things that go well or those that go wrong? Which ones do you think God would like you to think-and talk-about most? When you're tempted to grumble about something, stop and ask God to help you find a good thing in that situation. Ask Him to show you what good can come from it, and to help you learn from each thing that happens. Then give yourself and others the "yearbook version" of what took place and praise God for it.
TODAY'S KEY VERSE:I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth. Psalm 34:1
The point that the writer was making was that we should focus on the positives and not the negatives. When one looks at a yearbook, one would notice that only pleasant memories are being recorded.
As we reflected upon the devotion, I shared with my family the example of Abraham, who was described in stellar manner as a man of great faith in the New Testament epistles such as Romans 4 and Hebrews 11. Yet, in Genesis 12 and Genesis 20, we read about him displaying a great lack of faith on 2 separate occasions in not believing that God would protect him from kings who wanted his wife as their harem.
So what made the difference? The finished work of the cross!
The Holy Spirit only saw fit to record the pleasant things about Abraham in the New Testament!
The Old Testament was a historical record of what the partriachs did. We read about how Noah became drunk and laid naked. We read about how Moses killed an Egyptian in anger. We read of David committing adultery with Bathsheba.
Yet, all of the above were described as great men of faith in Hebrews 11!
We as New Covenant believers have this wonderful privilege because God only keeps the "yearbook version" of our life's journey. Because God's full judgement has already fallen upon Jesus, He swore that He would no longer be angry with us or remembers our sins. Because of what Jesus has accomplished, He does not record our failures, but only our victories.
It is like playing snakes and ladders without the snakes, which I blogged about here.
No comments:
Post a Comment