Reflections and the future

And the people came to Moses, and said, We have sinned, for we have spoken against the Lord and against you; pray to the Lord, that He may take away the serpents from us. So Moses prayed for the people.

And the Lord said to Moses, Make a fiery serpent [of bronze] and set it on a pole; and everyone who is bitten, when he looks at it, shall live.

And Moses made a serpent of bronze and put it on a pole, and if a serpent had bitten any man, when he looked to the serpent of bronze [attentively, expectantly, with a steady and absorbing gaze], he lived. Numbers 21:7-9 AMP

The Israelites had again been complaining about their circumstances. They knew they had sinned. God gave them a way out of their circumstance - a way to live. They had to look, attentively and expectantly at what God had provided for them.

We are the same. We complain. We sin. We need to not look at our circumstances, but to look attentively and expectantly at what God has provided for us. An opportunity to have life, life forever.

And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert [on a pole], so must [so it is necessary that] the Son of Man be lifted up [on the cross],

In order that everyone who believes in Him [who cleaves to Him, trusts Him, and relies on Him] may not perish, but have eternal life and [actually] live forever!

For God so greatly loved and dearly prized the world that He [even] gave up His only begotten (unique) Son, so that whoever believes in (trusts in, clings to, relies on) Him shall not perish (come to destruction, be lost) but have eternal (everlasting) life. John 3:14-16

As 2015 ends and 2016 begins, we can reflect on many things that have happened, or not happened, within the year. One thing that I am reflecting on this year, is how often did I look to Jesus for help, and how often did I choose to wallow in self-pity, fear and doubt? How often did I let my devotion to Christ wain?

But [now] I am fearful, lest that even as the serpent beguiled Eve by his cunning, so your minds may be corrupted and seduced from wholehearted and sincere and pure devotion to Christ. 

2 Corinthians 11:3 AMP

And furthermore when in those times of self-pity, fear and doubt, how long did it take me to shift my mind back to Jesus? How long did I let myself get distracted by the things that are not of God? 

Thankfully, by the grace of God, after time reading His word, prayer and worship I was eventually able to return to that place of looking to Jesus. And then His peace returned to my mind.

For the rest, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is worthy of reverence and is honorable and seemly, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely and lovable, whatever is kind and winsome and gracious, if there is any virtue and excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think on and weigh and take account of these things [fix your minds on them].
Practice what you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, and model your way of living on it, and the God of peace (of untroubled, undisturbed well-being) will be with you. Philippians 4:8-9

In 2016 I know there will be times of that self pity, fear and doubt, but my prayer is that they will be fewer, and I will be quicker to return my focus to Jesus. 

Question for today, when you reflect on 2015 and the place you gave Jesus in your life, how would you like to see that change in 2016? Let's take a moment now to ask God to help us with that change in 2016. We cannot make that change alone, rather only under His guidance and in His strength.

​THEREFORE THEN, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses [who have borne testimony to the Truth], let us strip off and throw aside every encumbrance (unnecessary weight) and that sin which so readily (deftly and cleverly) clings to and entangles us, and let us run with patient endurance and steady and active persistence the appointed course of the race that is set before us,

Looking away [from all that will distract] to Jesus, Who is the Leader and the Source of our faith [giving the first incentive for our belief] and is also its Finisher [bringing it to maturity and perfection]. He, for the joy [of obtaining the prize] that was set before Him, endured the cross, despising and ignoring the shame, and is now seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:1-2 AMP