Read the transcript from today's video devotional.
We never enjoy feeling the wrath or anger of anybody, especially God. But to understand the context of what David is talking about in this verse, it actually is a Psalm of David that he wrote in dedication of the temple. His son Solomon built the temple, and David prepared all the articles and things for it beforehand—but David didn't build it himself. This passage is towards the end of David's life, and this is his way of looking back.
Stuck in the Rearview
In that context, if I were to put a label or a theme on this devotional, it would be "In the Rearview"—because it's David reflecting back. As I was preparing, my heart was just heavy for you and for a lot of the people that I get to speak to. Because there are so many of us where the rearview mirror of our life is where we spend most of our time. The past—what people have done to us, what we've experienced, what we've done wrong—is what we carry. We sit in that. Instead of being on a journey, we're sitting still and bearing the load and the burden of what we see in the rearview mirror. I love the context of what David is saying here. He's reflecting back. He sees in the rearview: "His anger lasts only for a moment, weeping may last for the night." Even though he's towards the end of his life, he's still looking forward and saying, "...but His favor lasts a lifetime." My life isn't over yet until God takes me home—His favor is what I'm looking forward to and experiencing in the moment. Instead of continuing to look in the rearview at the past, he keeps moving forward. Even weeping may last the night, but the morning is coming, and joy is going to come with it.
Allow the Past to Fade
As we move forward instead of being stuck in one place, there's a beauty to what we experience. When we look in the rearview mirror while we're traveling, while we're moving forward, what happens with the things we just passed, the things we just experienced? They slowly fade off into the distance. A lot of times we don't give ourselves the grace to allow the past to slowly fade away—to grieve through it, to experience it, and then, as we continue to move forward in our relationship with the Lord, to let those things recede. Sometimes we want to allow those things from the past to define who we are—when we can be defined by the presence of God in our life instead.
Here's what God wants to say: yes, there may be anger, there may be weeping. But those things can be in the past, in the rearview. Let them fade into the distance, because He has so much more for you lying ahead.
Put It in Drive
Some of you may feel stuck in the moment, like your vehicle of life is in park, thinking that those things will never fade away—that they're actually starting to define who you are. I would just ask you to take the next step. Put it in drive. Because God wants you to experience what He has for you and not have to live in the rearview, but be focused on what lies ahead and what God has in store. Yes, the rearview is a reference point, but be looking for the joy that is coming in the morning. Don't live in the past and the hurt. Allow God to do something special, because we have a God who is alive and living and we get to experience His presence today. Be focused on what lies ahead. Look forward. Take the next step and allow the things in the past to fade in the rearview, to see what God has in store for you today.
