When I Look Back

At the end of my life……….I will look back.

I know that I will see things that I will regret. But I will also see things that will make me smile. I am much closer to the end of my life than to the beginning………that is likely the source of this post.

When we think about dying, I think that we often focus on judgement. Far too many Christians teach a brand of faith that focuses on death as a time when we are confronted by an angry God…….and we have to explain it all……..every last mis-step. We see the transition between this world and the world to come as a time when we have to answer for our misdeeds………and no doubt that will be an element of it.

But……..for the Christian…….for those who have accepted Jesus and his blanket of forgiveness, I think that this will be very brief……… the blink of an eye. We will not sit around dwelling on our mistakes. There will be no cosmic tongue lashing. The fact is, our misdeeds will be quickly and permanently erased from God’s memory……….and if they are erased from God’s memory, I believe that they will also be erased from our memory as well. The sadness and the guilt that we have been dragging around because of the mistakes that we have made……..will be gone. We will go through eternity without regrets.

Hard to imagine, isn’t it?……..a world completely free from guilt and regrets. I will remember the gifts and kindness that I have given my family and those around me. The anger and pain that I have spread……..will just be gone. My death will be the death of my regrets……….my joy and love will live on. As I consider it………that may very well be one of the best features of paradise.

This even goes one step further. The people that I have lost……my two sons………both Christians……..are living a life of joy and love…….. completely free from guilt and regret……right now.

I cannot change what I’ve done…….but I can try to balance the scales a bit.

So I will ask a question as I move forward:

“Will this choice make me smile………when I finally look back?”

Even more important

“Will this choice make Jesus smile………when he and I look back together?”

“This is the covenant I will make with them after that time, says the Lord. I will put my laws in their hearts, and I will write them on their minds .” Then he adds: “Their sins and lawless acts I will remember no more.”

Jesus, NIV

“For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
    so great is his love for those who fear him;
as far as the east is from the west,
    so far has he removed our transgressions from us.”

David, NIV

He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away .

John, NIV