Back to the Future

Training for Today: Cross-train for 35 minutes

Devotion: Back to the Future

Before we officially begin today, I'd like you to read Romans 8:15-21:

"15 For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, "Abba, Father." 16 The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children. 17 Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.


Future Glory
18 I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.  19 The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed. 20For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope 21that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God."

OK, here we go with Back to the Future . . .

You remember this movie, right? Of course you do. Who could forget Michael J. Fox in this film? His mannerisms were perfect! “Back to the Future” was highly influential in my life, as it forced me to grapple with the concept of a flux capacitor and got “The Power of Love” by Huey Lewis & The News stuck in my head for nearly a decade!


However, I had a major problem with this film. Traveling back in time in a DeLorean sounded exciting at first, until I realized that I could be stuck there indefinitely. Immediately I felt trapped, like I was experiencing some kind of time-related claustrophobia.

Do you ever feel like your thoughts and attention are forever trapped in the days of your child loss? Part of the purpose for our journey together is to break free from this mindset of captivity. But, in order to do that, we need to truly start at the beginning of our journey. So, painful as it may be, go back in time to the days surrounding your loss and spend some time there during your run today. Wrestle with God if you need to, shed the tears, ask why, and then celebrate.

Celebrate? Yep. Celebrate the fact that you don’t need to be stuck there indefinitely. If we go back in time even farther, we see our gracious Father experiencing His own child loss as He watched His only Son die an innocent death on the cross. For you. For me. For our little ones. Jesus’ death didn’t leave us with an indefinite ending, though. No! On the third day, He went back to the future – our future in heaven! Jesus’ suffering, death, and resurrection free us from the captivity of our sins of the past, present, and future. His sacrifice offers us safe and certain passage back to our future – an eternal reunion with Him and the little ones who are at peace in His arms. Now that’s the power of love!

Prayer
Dear Heavenly Father, hold my hand as I look back to the days when you called my little one(s) home. Then bring my thoughts back to the future – the future I have in heaven because of your willing sacrifice of your only Son. In you alone I find my freedom, Lord! Amen.