What Can We Learn From Scotch?

Johnnie Walker.


Recognize the name?

It's a brand of scotch.

Now, I’m not a scotch person. In fact, I’ve never tasted it.

But I saw one of their ads in the New York Times with this slogan"

The next step is the one that matters most.
 

I immediately thought of the Apostle Paul
 

But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead. Philippians 3:13

Forgetting

What’s behind you?

Forget it!                                  

Paul forgot the times that he directed the arrest, torture, and murder of many Christians.

He left it behind him.

How hard is it for us to do that?

• We continually look back at past sins and grieve.
• We repeatedly ask for forgiveness for the things God has already forgiven and forgotten.
• We look behind us at better times and yearn for what has passed us by.
• We crave the simple life that has been swallowed up by the chaos of our everyday lives.

 

 

Straining

How did Paul turn from the guilt of his past?

 

 

He worked at it.

He submitted his life to the grace and forgiveness of his Lord Jesus Christ.

He choose to believe in God’s promises.

He set his face toward what was ahead.

Some of us say, “God can’t forgive me. You don’t know what I’ve done.”

God’s forgiveness and grace is infinite.

You can’t out-sin Him

You can’t exceed the power of His love.

If you turn to Jesus as Paul did, He will erase your sin with His mercy and grace.

Ahead

Paul endured stoning, attack from Jews, forty lashes from jailors

Yet he stayed focused on God’s call.

Step by step, he walked on.

Day by day, he served God.

When we’re buried in sorrow or despair, we can’t see a way out.

But, if we focus our eyes on Jesus, we’ll move forward.
 

Step by step

Day by day

 

Each step in the first one in our journey toward tomorrow.

Yesterday’s steps are behind us.

Tomorrow’s steps are in God’s hands.

Just take each step, one by one, and let Jesus guide you.

How has Jesus guided you step by step?

Photo credit Messiah Life