“Why not just live in the moment, especially if it has a
good beat?” –Goldie Hawn
Although I’ll be the first to admit an almost blind approval
for anything technology-driven, let me declare my love/hate relationship with instant replay in sports. If there can be such a thing as road
rage, I believe I may be a replay rage-aholic.
It’s bad enough that the NFL referees have a penalty flag
they can throw any time to stop the momentum of the game, but now coaches have a
“challenge” flag tucked in their sock or back pocket!?! And then, of course there is the
booth referees tucked away in some media man cave somewhere, looking at high
definition renditions of what just happened over and over and over again from
every angle? So the game comes to
a screeching halt, and we’re stuck like commuter traffic purgatory, as the referee dons a black hood to repeated
review the penalty? Oh the
humanity!
Okay I’m done venting.
But seriously? Now instant
replay is creeping into the NBA. . . What’s next? Life instant
replay? Okay, I’m done venting
now. Really.
Yet televised sports isn’t the only place where “instant
replay” is plaguing our world, there are places far more important where it’s
taking a more discouraging toll.
Should ha’
Could ha’
Would ha’
As a student looking at test scores, “I should have studied
instead of goofing off...”
As a spouse early in marriage, “I could have been more
understanding and less stubborn...”
As a parent regretting angry words, “If only I would have
taken a moment to listen to her side of the story…”
Don’t get me wrong, there is great benefit to gaining wisdom
through our past mistakes. And
certainly our past can serve as a reference point for better choices in the
future.
But what’s often a stumbling point is the debilitating mental
instant replay of life’s fumbles, mistakes, intentional fouls, and
unsportsman-like conduct—The instant replay of our sins. While there is virtue in remorse and
the turn of a repentant heart—repeated replay of our failures and faux pas is
destructive, and one of the devil’s tools to stop GOD’s momentum in your life.
Thank GOD for the forgiveness and freedom offered in our
Savior, Christ Jesus!
“Now we look inside, and what we see is that anyone united with the Messiah gets a fresh start, is created new. The old life is gone; a new life burgeons! Look at it! All this comes from the God who settled the relationship between us and him, and then called us to settle our relationships with each other.” –2Corinthians 5:17-18 [Message]
Christ Jesus takes the replay remote away from Satan, and
offers us the opportunity to live life freely. Our past sins are erased, and we are invited to experience
the new day, fully present.
“You must live in the present, launch yourself on every
wave, find your eternity in each moment. Fools stand on their island of
opportunities and look toward another land. There is no other land; there is no
other life but this.” –Henry David Thoreau
May you spend this moment fully living, free from the
torment of replaying past sins.
May this new day in Christ be filled with all the possibilities and
freedom that His forgiveness affords.
Today may you truly live to the full.
Encounter Prayer:
Lord, who is a God like you?
You forgive sin.
You forgive your people
when they do what is wrong.
You don’t stay angry forever.
Instead, you take delight in showing
your faithful love to them.
Once again you will show loving concern for us.
You will completely wipe out
the evil things we’ve done.
You will throw all of our sins
into the bottom of the sea. –Micah 7:18-19 [NIrV]
Encounter:
- What parts of your past haunt you?
- Who might you need to make amends with and reconcile?
- How are you going to live this day freely and fully in Christ Jesus?
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