On occasion, the storefront of an antique shop draws me in to browse even though I am not a collector. The visit is often like a walk down memory lane bringing fond memories to mind. However, the contents remind me that I am old enough to have once owned or used things now classified as antiques. Yikes!   

In this shop, I spotted the blonde Chatty Cathy my sister, Cindy, had  in the original box. Antique store Cathy was in mint condition, unlike Cindy’s, which was practically bald for most of its useable years. I had to laugh as I thought of how hers looked and how I had to hide my brunette version to keep it from being scalped!

Next, there was the old metal Igloo cooler which provided many cups of cold water consumed at my grandparents pre-Civil War home during the hot summer months where my siblings and I would fight to get in front of the box fan to cool down.

Finally, on a crowded shelf I spotted a mushroom canister set exactly like Eddy and I had received as a wedding gift almost 36 years ago. I will never forget crying my eyes out when I broke one of the canisters not long after receiving the set. Nor will I forget how my sweet husband calmed me down and glued every piece back into place.

I could lie and say “those were the good old days,” but they weren’t necessarily. My parents divorced during the Chatty Cathy era and life as broke newlyweds was definitely a challenge far beyond a broken canister. The answer lies in what you choose to focus on… the  good times or the bad.

And so it is in our walk as Christians. I believe and know from my experience that Satan loves to take us for walks down “not so good” memory lane to revisit our failures and past sins. The way is dark and the emotions elicited are guilt, shame, and unworthiness. Satan, the great deceiver, the author of confusion has an agenda. He wants us to believe there is no way with these sins looming in our past that God could truly love and accept us.

I believe even the strongest of Christians fall under these Satanic attacks.  At our weakest moment Satan will pound us with reminders of our past sins and, if we are not armored up (Eph. 6), we may fall prey to his scheme. We will forget that God has clothed us in the righteousness of Christ. (Rom. 3:24, 2 Cor. 5:21) We will forget He has removed our sins from us as far as the east is from the west. (Psalm 103:12) We will allow what God has forgiven and forgotten to cause distance in our relationship with Him.

Herein lies the answer whether you are a child of God or someone seeking the love, peace and forgiveness found in Christ.

“Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own because Christ Jesus has made me His own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” (Phil. 3:12-14)

Press on toward the call of Jesus. Rebuke Satan and his minions as they attempt to lure you from your walk with Christ into some ditch to watch black and white movies of your forgiven, forgotten past! Say yes to the promises of Christ for your life. Seek His assurance and strength in the life-giving words of the Bible. Set your mind on the hope and future He has for you! To God Be the Glory!

Stop by tomorrow for a song that drives this all the way home. Thanks for reading!