LEARN FROM THE PAST . . . DON’T LIVE IN IT!

The English poet William Wordsworth once said, “Life
is divided into three terms – that which was, which is, and
which will be. Let us learn from the past to profit by the
present, and from the present, to live better in the future.”
As I consider my daily study from God’s word, I find that He
teaches just these things.

The apostle Paul encouraged the church in Corinth
to learn from the past mistakes of the Israelites in 1
Corinthians 10:1-10, and concluded by saying “Now all of
these things happened to them as examples, and they
were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends
of the ages have come” (vs. 11). To the saints in Philippi,
Paul had the following to say as well: “Brethren, I do not
count myself to have apprehended, but one thing I do,
forgetting those things which are behind and reaching
forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward
the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ
Jesus” (Philippians 3:13-14).

The past is just that . . . the past. We can either
continue to live in it or we can learn from it, make the
necessary adjustments . . . adjustments that are in line
with the will of God, and live the remainder of our lives in
faithful service to Him. Paul reminds us to set our minds
on heavenly things, not those things which are earthly
(Colossians 3:2), for the things of this world will eventually
pass away, “but he who does the will of God abides
forever” (1 John 2:17). May we, therefore, learn the
lessons we need to learn from the past that we, through
obedient service to the Lord, profit in the present and
ultimately are rewarded in the future (Revelation 2:10).