Celebrate the Steps

I just listened to a great sermon. It was from Hebrews 8. Briefly, that chapter describes Jesus as the new High Priest, but much better than the priests of old. God's new covenant with us is not based on laws like in the Old Testament. The laws - maybe they weren't there to keep the people in line - maybe they were there to show them that they couldn't do it alone. God's new covenant is through Jesus - He will change our hearts and minds - transform us into something new.

Hebrews 8:12
"I will forgive them for the wicked things they did and I will not remember their sins anymore."

The pastor compared it to a baby learning to walk. I think I may have shared this before, but it's worth a repeat. Picture the baby taking it's first steps. Maybe she gets 3 steps before she falls. But for months, the parent celebrate the steps. It increases to 7 steps, then 10. But each time the baby falls. And each time the parent celebrates the steps. Would a parent ever say, "Yeah, whatever - 5 steps? Big deal! I can do more than that!" Of course not. Later, as the steps increase, the falls become greater. The tumbles are harder. The hurt is more painful. There may be blood involved. What does the parent do? The parent doesn't get frustrated by the fall. The parent hugs her child and kisses the scraped knees. The parent wipes away the tears and then lets her go to run again.

Our Heavenly Father is just like that. He doesn't remember the falls. He doesn't keep an account of all the bad. He continues to love us and He celebrates the steps we are taking. He doesn't remember all my horrible, weak, emotional mistakes. He's there to love and comfort me and then lets go so I can walk again.

Today is the first day where I can honestly say that I wonder what all my fuss has been about. So I suffered a loss. It happens. I've been sad and now it's time to move on. I trust that God is here by my side. I trust that He has great plans for me; plans to honor me and not to harm me. I trust that He loves me and He knows my desires and He will fulfill them on His terms and in His time. My way is not the best way. It's kind of a weird feeling. It's actually kind of scary. That sounds stupid, but I've been so wrapped up in what could have been, that I've missed some of what is. I don't know what could have been - it could have been horrible. It could have been great. But it's not in the plans for right now. And I'm finally, hopefully, OK with that.