PORT IN A STORM --the Good Shepherd

"The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, He leads me beside quiet waters, He restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for His name's sake." (Psalm 23: 1-3)

Jesus said: "I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me - Just as the Father knows me and I know the Father - and I lay down my life for the sheep."  (John 10:14)

Making Peace with our past— How do we do that? Is it possible that some people are never able to overcome the past and to live in the present and future? As we move through the extended Easter season,  can we consider the past defeats and bitterness that may have affected our lives and learn from the risen Christ ways to move on?

Going back to the nineteenth century and to one of our country's most respected, yet anguished and troubled presidents, Abraham Lincoln, we are reminded that he was born into poverty and was faced with defeat all of his life. He lost eight elections, twice failed in business, and suffered a nervous breakdown.

In 1816, his family was forced out of their home, and, as a young boy, he had to work to support them. In 1818, his mother died, which forced him to do various jobs to help hold the family together. In 1832, he ran for state legislature, but he lost the election and then lost his job. He wanted to go to law school, but he couldn't get in. In 1833 he borrowed some money from a friend to begin a business and by the end of the year he was bankrupt.  This would have been enough to wipe out even the most "upbeat" of any of us!

But not Lincoln. He spent the next seventeen plodding along.  In 1838 he sought to become Speaker of the state legislature and was defeated. In 1840 he sought to become an elector and he was defeated. In 1843 he ran for Congress and lost. In 1846 he ran for Congress again. This time he won, went to Washington and did a good job. In 1848 he ran for re-election to Congress. He lost. In 1849 he sought the job of a land officer in his home state, which wasn't a very big job, and he was rejected. In 1854 he ran for the Senate of the United States; he lost. In 1856 he sought the Vice-Presidential nomination at his party's national convention and received less than 100 votes. In 1858 he ran for U.S. Senate and again lost. In 1860 he was finally elected President of the United States.

Do you think his greatness would have been as awesome if he had not faced as many hardships, losses and defeats? He did not allow his past to drag him down. He did not allow failure and misfortune to defeat him. Abraham Lincoln found a way to make peace with his past and to move on.

God bless each one of us that we can do the same. We need to learn from the past, but then let go and allow the future to be the focus of our lives.

Prayer to make peace with the past.

Lord, You give us challenge after challenge. Sometimes we love it and sometimes we don't,  but, Lord, we pray today to learn to love the challenge and to accept it. Give us the strength, wisdom , and guidance to make peace with our past and to move on.

Gladys Gale, Lay Leader  at the Terrace Church