The Time Machine, The Robot and Regrets

[Christian devotion]

When my two oldest son’s were five and three years old I gave them a cardboard box and an old radio to pull apart, I never expected that I would end up in trouble from them for withholding critical information about the inner workings of the time machine they were building. It wasn’t working and they were very unimpressed when I wouldn’t provide the technical knowledge they required.

How could I tell them that robots from the future would come back in time and try to kill us if I allowed them to create one? Because the way things are going I know one of the boys will be creating a killer robot soon, no point in giving it a Time Machine as well.

If you’re like me then there will be times in your life that you wish you could to travel back in time and knowing what we know now, make different decisions. These points in time generally involve feelings of regret especially if we believe those times changed our lives for the worst.

The reality is that we all have to live with the mistakes we’ve made. We don’t have a Time Machine to go back and undo our mistakes. So where do we find hope and rest in our regrets?

We Can Do So In The Good News Of The Gospel.

Paul is a great example of how the good news of the gospel affects our past mistakes and sins. I’m sure Paul regretted his former actions as a persecutor, murdering innocent Christians but he recognises that the gospel is so powerful, and God’s grace so deep, that the actions of the worst sinners can be redeemed for good.

The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost. But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life.

1 Timothy 1:15–16

Jesus died for our past, present, and future sins. We can remember our mistakes and how we’ve sinned against God, but still have daily peace because of this one truth that Paul reminds us of: There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. (Romans 8:1)

We can thank God that Christ’s blood washes away our sinful past and now instead of focusing on what lies behind we can now and strain forward to what lies ahead, press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. (Phil 3:13-14).

---

Head over to my Facebook page The BistroMath to join the conversation. While you're there 'like' it so you are notified when new posts are up.  You can also follow me on Twitter or Google+. To do so click on the images below.

           

---