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From the Pastor
Look Ahead, Most of the Time.
Driving a car requires looking through the windshield at the road ahead. We watch the road, side streets, other vehicles, pedestrians, and anything else we might need to respond to along the way.
Driving a car also requires watching the rear-view mirrors. We need some awareness of what’s behind to keep moving ahead.
Keeping ninety percent of our attention on what’s ahead and ten percent on what’s behind is a good way to split our focus. It’s also like that with big things that matter to us.
When it comes to moving ahead in life, most of our attention and energy needs to focus on what lies ahead. That keeps us moving ahead and keeps us able to adjust as situations demand.
Moving ahead also requires being aware of what’s behind us. We can get guidance from the past by asking ourselves what people, events, ideals and beliefs in the past shaped us? What traditions root us in wisdom and strength? We can’t spend too much time looking back—that insures stalling out and going nowhere. But at the same time moving ahead in good ways requires awareness of what’s behind.
God is part of our past, present and future. We look for God’s presence now to guide us into whatever ventures lie ahead. Looking back at Scripture, tradition and our own personal past helps us understand how God shows up now and can guide us.
Look ahead to go to good places. Look back too.
Pastor Will Mowchan
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