LEFT BEHIND

 As Hero and I made our early trek this morning, for some reason, I cannot even remember, I became stuck on the words, "Left Behind".  My mind seems to have many forked roads, and I am notorious for drifting down fork after fork.  A straight path is seldom my course.  BUT--on to where it  went.

Obviously I do not remember where this all started, but the first fork I took was the books and later movies from the "Left Behind Series" by Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins.  If you have never read these books---they were at a very minimum thought provoking.  One of the things I remember is reading them aloud to one of our boys.  Think "Star Wars" with a faith connotation.  

I then came upon this fork which is based upon the US Congress Act of 2001 which caused such an uproar from the educational system and parents.  President Bush II signed this bill.  My last child was graduating from high school in 2001, so it really had no impact upon me personally.  BUT as a regular volunteer in the schools for years---I saw and heard plenty about this.

Next fork up came all my years of running, hiking, or any other form of physical activity.  I pretty much was always left behind.  My exercise buddies were all highly competitive---ME---not even an ounce of competitive.  I am not certain how I ended up in this group, except I do love to laugh and enjoyed their good company.  Once the race from Point A to Point B was over all was fun and games, but the race was always on from the moment someone said, "GO!"  Ferdinand should be my middle name because I take great delight in strolling along and smelling the flowers.  What's the hurry was always rolling around in my head---after all, we were certainly not going to the Olympics.

The next fork had me thinking about the times in life, I have felt left behind---alone.  I strongly suspect we all have had these moments.  That time when we felt forgotten--ignored--abandoned.  Not the happiest of memories, but I also know most of us have had the experience and it is not fatal.  In fact, I strongly suspect God uses those moments to reveal Himself profoundly to us.

As Hero and I rounded the last corner and headed into the last quarter of a mile, it occurred to me there are things in life we should leave behind.  We should be the one saying, "I leave _________behind, and resolve to take the fork toward a better future."  That is where I am going to leave you--thinking about what in your life would you be better off--more at peace- even experiencing greater joy, if you would only leave it behind?  I have not one but a few AND I am asking God to help me leave them behind.  When you realize not one thing is gained by this thing in your life--it is time to consider---

"I will leave this behind"

"But one thing I do:

forgetting what lies behind

and straining forward to what lies ahead,

I press on toward the goal for the prize

of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus."

Philippians 3:13-14