The right direction is always essential. Starting in Denver, you will never arrive in California by traveling “north,” nor can you arrive in California by going “south.”
Now the shortest distance to LA is about 1000 miles if you are traveling west. But you can also get to LA by going east. Oh, it would be a more extended trip by about 24,000 miles, but you would get there, just take a lot longer. So the old adage is still true. The shortest distance between two points is a straight line.
Here is another point, if you travel north or south from Denver, you will never arrive in LA. You may start out going north from Denver, and in time you will be going south. Then of course later without making a conscious course change, you will be going north again. Life can be like that, when you have no set direction; you keep going round and round.
The thing about traveling east or west is that unless you make a conscious course change, you will keep going in the same direction. If you start your trip to LA by going east, you will get there in time, it will be a more extended trip, but you will get there.
In Psalm 103:12 when God tells us, “As far as the east is from the west, So far has He removed our transgressions from us.” So, as long as we keep moving away from our sins and not turn back, they remain completely removed. If the text had said, as far as the north is from the south, you would keep coming back to your sins. Stated as east and west, you must decide to turn back to your sins.
In II Peter 2:21-22 our turning back is expressed this way, “For it would be better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn away from the holy commandment handed on to them. It has happened to them according to the true proverb, “A dog returns to its own vomit,” and, “A sow, after washing, returns to wallowing in the mire.” Again, it is a decision you must make to turn back.
In Philippians 3:13-14 Paul notes this for us, “Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” That must also be our thought; always pressing forward, no turning back.
Will there be difficulties along the way? Of course, there will. Just as Paul stated in Romans 7:19 “For the good that I want, I do not do, but I practice the very evil that I do not want.”
The good news, there is always forgiveness. But you have to make that a priority, you are the only one that can “keep” yourself on the right path, still moving in the right direction. While there are many along the way that will help us keep going in the right direction, it remains your choice.
At the time of your baptism, all of your past sins were washed away. Indeed a new beginning, a fresh start. At the same time, God knew we would sin again and made a plan for our forgiveness day-by-day.
Now, just as it was your decision to be baptized for the forgiveness of your sins; so it is your decision to seek His forgiveness day-by-day. Note with me, I John 1:6-9, “If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth; but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” Once again, it is your choice.
Yes, keep moving in the right direction and seek His forgiveness day-by-day.
Dick Brant