Now, the future, the past

[farouk]

Someone said this, and I liked it a lot:

I'm not what I should be.

I'm not what I shall be.

But I thank God that (by His grace) I'm not what I once was.

[John81]

This is good as long as we remember this should be a continual, lifetime thing and not use this as grounds for stopping making progress or thinking we have arrived at "good enough".

[farouk]

This is good as long as we remember this should be a continual, lifetime thing and not use this as grounds for stopping making progress or thinking we have arrived at "good enough".

John81:

That is right.

I was thinking of it in simple terms of past, present and future (in whatever order). What we were, what we are and what we will be, by God's grace. Another one is in 1 Thess. 1: 'ye turned to God from idols (past) to serve the living and true God (the present) and to wait for His Son from heaven (the future)'. Edited July 5, 2011 by farouk

[John81]

John81:

That is right.

I was thinking of it in simple terms of past, present and future (in whatever order). What we were, what we are and what we will be, by God's grace. Another one is in 1 Thess. 1: 'ye turned to God from idols (past) to serve the living and true God (the present) and to wait for His Son from heaven (the future)'.

Agreed, and as I said, in that manner it's good and something we should all desire to be able to say at each stage of our walk with Christ.

Unfortunately, there are some who eventually reach a point where they think they have reached as high as they can and then try to settle in with what they see as their reaching "good enough". Others decide it's a fight they can't win so they basically give up. We often hear these continually talking about what they used to do for God, how close they used to be with God, what a great soul winner they once were, etc.

[farouk]

'...forgetting those things that are behind, I press toward the mark of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus...'

[John81]

'...forgetting those things that are behind, I press toward the mark of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus...'

:amen:

[farouk]

:amen:

[Covenanter]

I thought of this hymn by Thom­as Kel­ly, - see last verse:

Praise the Saviour, ye who know Him!
Who can tell how much we owe Him?
Gladly let us render to Him
All we are and have.

Jesus is the Name that charms us,
He for conflict fits and arms us;
Nothing moves and nothing harms us
While we trust in Him.

Trust in Him, ye saints, forever,
He is faithful, changing never;
Neither force nor guile can sever
Those He loves from Him.

Keep us, Lord, O keep us cleaving
To Thyself, and still believing,
Till the hour of our receiving
Promised joys with Thee.

Then we shall be where we would be,
Then we shall be what we should be,
Things that are not now, nor could be,
Soon shall be our own.

[farouk]

I thought of this hymn by Thom­as Kel­ly, - see last verse:

C:

I love that hymn, too.

We regularly sing it.

[HappyChristian]

C:

I love that hymn, too.

We regularly sing it.

I love that hymn as well. Our church sings it often, too.
I'm singing it now; thanks for posting it, Covenanter!

[Covenanter]

I love that hymn as well. Our church sings it often, too.
I'm singing it now; thanks for posting it, Covenanter!

I usually wake up with a song running through my mind - lately it has been Moteverdi's setting of Psalm 112 - Beatus vir (Blessed is the man who fears the LORD.)

That's a good hymn to take to bed & wake up with.