In Reverse
I am taking Western Civilization II this semester at school. Until Thursday I hadn't gotten that much from the class, other than a lot of headaches. The instructor began to discuss WWI and explain the method of trench warfare. She said it was a very depressing form of warfare because the soldiers usually felt if they left the trench to try to advance toward the enemy side they would die. There was much fear and there was no turning back once they left the trench. If they did make it, it was a great victory for their particular side. In her explanation, she made a statement that made me take notice, something I don't usually do in that class. She said, "When you move forward whatever behind you is yours." Now I don't know if that was her quote or from someone famous, but it did catch my attention. When the soldiers were successful in moving forward whatever was behind them belonged to them, or at least to their side.
As I thought of moving forward I began to think of moving in reverse. A couple of years ago we had a van that the reverse no longer worked in. If anyone went anywhere in this van they had to make sure there was plenty of room for moving forward to maneuver the van back on the road. Going in reverse was not an option. No retreat was possible, no going back, only advancement, only forward movement.
In the verse above in Jeremiah, the people didn't obey God, they went backward, not forward, which was not a good thing. In Christianity today we should take on the philosophy of trench warfare from WWI. In this war we are fighting, we should boldly advance toward our enemy. Whatever is behind us belongs to us. We should keep moving forward and claiming territory that is rightfully ours. There should be no turning back. Going in reverse should not be an option. Perhaps we should un-enable our reverse capability just like in that old green van I used to own. We should not move in reverse, and always make sure there is plenty of room in front of us to maneuver down the road God would want us to be on. We should not fear. God is with us helping us fight the battle. The victory is ours. We need to get out of the trenches, stop moving backward, and move forward. As we move forward, obeying God's voice, walking in His ways, whatever is behind us belongs to us, to our side.