START AGAIN!

START AGAIN!

Deut 32:7-9

7 Remember the days of old, consider the years of many generations: ask thy father, and he will shew thee; thy elders, and they will tell thee.

8 When the most High divided to the nations their inheritance, when he separated the sons of Adam, he set the bounds of the people according to the number of the children of Israel.

9 For the Lord 's portion is his people; Jacob is the lot of his inheritance.

          When we were kids we would ask for what we called a “do over.” We would begin to skip rope and tangle the rope in a mess around our ankles or we would begin a game and “mess up.” This always called for a do over. We begged for a chance to begin again. Childhood is long behind me but I still find myself messing up and begging for a do over. Our Scripture urges us to remember the days of old; to consider how it used to be and to start again.

          What causes us to mess up? Sometimes it is our own ineptitude. We are not skilled in the task before us and we ruin the opportunity. We are defeated and ashamed so we give up. Sometimes it is because somebody “caused us to mess up.” Somebody tripped us up and forced us to fail. We become defensive and bitter and decide to abandon the effort. Perhaps it’s time to start again.

Take a deep breath. Forget the failures whatever the cause and begin again. Keep beginning again until failure decides to abandon you!

Dear Lord, someone reading this today needs a “do over.” They have failed or suffered some upset that has caused them to abandon the effort. Lift them up, brush them off, and fill them with resolve. Help them to begin again and again until failure gives up on them. AMEN