Moving From Past to Future

Ancient Nineveh, the capital of Assyria

Last week we entered the new season of 5773 with the celebration of Rosh Hashanah and Yom T'ruah (the Feast of Trumpets).  Then yesterday after sundown through today, Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, was observed.  Tradition is that the Book of Jonah is read as the haftorah of the Yom Kippur afternoon services.  One of the reasons for reading the Book of Jonah is to remember that God spared the people of Nineveh although He had already decreed that they would be destroyed because of their evil ways. This teaches us that no matter our past behavior, God's benevolence and mercy awaits us if we only repent full-heartedly.

Under the new covenant, we should read John 4 and remember the woman at the well.  Jesus revealed his knowledge of her past and His offer of "living water".  In John 4:39 we are told, "And many of the Samaritans of that city believed on him for the saying of the woman, which testified, He told me all that ever I did."  With her repentance, an entire city was redeemed in a very short period of time.

This is a season of ending the things of the past to open the path to the future (to destiny) - repenting of the sins of the past so we can have a clear vision of (so we can see) the future.  As Hebrews 12:1 tells us, "...Let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us..."

While we are no longer under the Law and should therefore move in forgiveness and release throughout the entire year ahead, we should end those hinderances from the past as soon as possible this year.  The sooner we end, the sooner we see the future.

Are you ready to see and run to your future?