Apples of Gold

My husband was apparently a handful as a child. He kept his mother on her toes for sure, and yet she would wistfully recall what a good boy he was! Our memories like to play tricks on us. We often remember the good times and send the more troubling files to our junk mail, never to be seen again!

This must have been the case with the children of Israel as they reflected fondly on the times of plenty, ease and comfort during their brutal slavery in Egypt:

The foreign rabble who were traveling with the Israelites began to crave the good things of Egypt. And the people of Israel also began to complain. “Oh, for some meat!” They exclaimed. “We remember the fish we used to eat for free in Egypt. And we had all the cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions, and garlic we wanted. Numbers 11:4-5

My Hashimoto’s diagnosis brought with it a radical dietary alteration. For the most part I no longer miss the processed food and tempting desserts. I do, however, miss pizza. You know the kind, with the gooey cheese and plenty of garlic! Even though my mouth might water when I catch the aroma of a fresh baked pizza pie, I know better than to indulge in a slice. Just thinking about how I would feel after consuming gluten and dairy in copious amounts halts any temptation to take a bite. 

While it can be difficult to watch others enjoying something I used to partake of, I have decided to focus on what is best for my body and my future. Paul encourages us to have this mindset in our walk with God:

I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead. I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us. Philippians 3:13

There are many things I would like to completely erase from my memory:  The time I slid down a rather large hill in my high heels and pale pink dress at my brother’s graduation in full view of the crowded bleachers, the unkind words I have spoken.  There are other things, mainly the “what if’s” that tend to roll around in my mind. Wondering how different my path would have been if just this one thing had turned out differently. While a quick visit to the land of alternate reality might be acceptable, an extended stay can bring with it a rising tide of discontent and frustration.

Perhaps this is why Paul tells us to forget about it. Dwelling in the past is a distraction at best. We could learn a lesson about letting go by observing the deciduous trees as autumn approaches. The current leaves have served their purpose and will soon come to life with vibrant color before finally releasing their hold on the branches and slowly drifting to the ground, wrapping our lawns in a crunchy and colorful blanket. 

A healthy tree will shed it’s leaves each year. It’s part of a process that continuously provides new life and renewal. If a tree refused to shed it’s leaves it would set off a destructive chain of events leading to dehydration and death. The leaves would demand water that the tree could not provide. The leaves could also freeze and hinder the ability of the tree to function in the spring. The insulation and enrichment for the tree’s root system would also be missing. 

When we stubbornly cling to things God has asked us to let go of we unwittingly disrupt the flow of living water. Those things become channels that detour and devour the nourishment we require in order to remain spiritual strong and healthy. Our refusal to deal with things also robs us of the protection we would receive through the enrichment provided when we mature under duress. 

This is not the fun and shiny part of Christianity but it is a most necessary part. This is where the true followers and the bandwagon fans are revealed. 

At this point many of his disciples turned away and deserted him. Then Jesus turned to the Twelve and asked, “Are you also going to leave?” Simon Peter replied, “Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words that give eternal life. We believe, and we know you are the Holy One of God. John 6:66-69

Let it go, or tell Jesus, “No”. The choice is ours. I choose to bow my knee and my heart, at times through a veil of tears and wavering voice. God will work with even our reluctant “yes”.  More of him and less of me.

Either way, Christ’s love controls us. Since we believe that Christ died for all, we also believe that we have all died to our old life. He died for everyone so that those who receive his new life will no longer live for themselves. Instead, they will live for Christ, who died and was raised for them. So we have stopped evaluating others from a human point of view. At one time we thought of Christ merely from a human point of view. How differently we know him now! This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone, a new life has begun! 2 Corinthians 5:14-17