From here on out

I Samuel 7:12 talks about a pillar of remembrance being raised up by Samuel that he called an Ebenezer. The word Ebenezer means stone of help and it signified God helping the Israelites against their great enemies, the Philistines. Samuel said “thus far the LORD has helped us”. That’s how I feel with this past 12 months – all of my life, in fact - but especially the last 12 months.

I want this blog to be an Ebenezer in my life. I never want to stop and settle in life, thinking that I have arrived. Life is such a journey and my blog title “From here on out” signifies that. I want to continually be pausing and seeing where I am on my journey on which God has placed me.

It was Socrates who said “The unexamined life is not worth living”. I’m no expert in Greek philosophy but Socrates’ thoughts on the importance of examining our life is such a good exercise. We often need to take stock of where we have come from, where we are in the present and where we are going.

I have been blessed beyond measure in 2010, completing my first year at Seminary, marrying the woman of my dreams and setting up home with Bekah in North Jersey. But, this is not my final destination. Like Paul, in Philippians 3:13&14 I want to look forward to what God has ahead for me, and for us, as a couple. That is what God has called us to, in Christ Jesus. We are relational people, created in God’s image and we are to relate well to those God has placed in our lives. There are opportunities all around us to show people what God is like and what a follower of Jesus should look like. We will stumble and fall but God is full of faithfulness and grace, each new day.

“From here on out” is not the same as turning over a new leaf or a more determined resolve than before. We desperately need God and his influence in our lives. We are needy people of His grace time and again. I want to take stock, take time to reflect and to thank God for this life, in Jesus. I want to grow in His love and grace and exhibit that to others – from here on out…