Oh the shame....

The other evening my past caught up with me. I ran into a couple I had not seen for years..17/ 18 in fact. We were at college together studying for ministry.It was good to see them and catch up on what we're doing now and what the kids are all up to and all that kind of catching up stuff.

All this took place at a deep and heavy evening on prayer but truth to tell I can't remember anything about it as my mind is still processing the parting shot of the wife of the couple I ran into. "I've never told anyone this," she said, "but do you remember that retreat we went on before we finished college? There was a swimming pool there and when you got out of the pool.....well," she went on,"your swimming costume was totally see through!!!!!!!!"

I was completely knocked sideways. I had no recollection of this event. It got worse. "I've just thrown the photos away," she said. My mind was racing in several directions but mostly, "Do I really need to know this after all this time???????"

My entire family think this is hilarious and the sort of thing that could only happen to me.I am just relieved that the photos have gone and at least I was in much better shape than I am now! And I think I do remember the occasion although somewhat hazily.

So, the deep and heavy evening on prayer has passed me by and I have been transported back in time, although in fact one of the things this very saintly monk said was how easy it is to dwell in the past and how easy it is to constantly look towards the future and actually miss what is going on here and now in the present.

When God speaks to Moses from the burning bush and tell Moses to go to Pharaoh and tell him to let His people go, Moses asks "Who shall I tell them sent me?" God replies "I AM WHO I AM....Tell them "I AM" has sent me to you. God also said to Moses."Thus you shall say to the Israelites, "The LORD, the God of your ancestors, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, has sent me to you." Exodus 3: 13-16

This encounter takes place when the people of Israel are in dire need of rescuing from their past and they need help in the here and now, the present. They have a future with God and a huge adventure ahead of them as well as a huge past behind them. But God reveals Himself as "I AM." This is our God, the God of the past, the God of the future but also and wondrously the God of now, the God of today, the God of the present.

Isaiah 43: 18-19 says "The LORD says, do not cling to events of the past or dwell on what happened long ago. Watch for the new thing I am going to do. It is happening already- you can see it now! I will make a road through the wilderness and give you streams of water there."

We all have things in our past that we need to let go of and sometimes we may need special help with that. With God we all have a future to look forward to in heaven and the promise that He walks beside us into our every day future but He is the God of today, here with us in this very moment whether we acknowledge it or not. "I AM, " "Emmanuel," God with us. God who was there in the past, will be there in the future, is here now and doing wonderful things for us and in us and through us. Praise His Name!

Just wish I'd taken more notes on the prayer evening to help me remember. Oh well, might just go and see if I still have the offending swimsuit. Did I ever wear it after that? So many questions.....let it go, Rachel....let it go!!!

Love,

Rachel.