Kick the Darkness

KICK THE DARKNESS

Bono, the lead singer of the group U2, sang in God Part II, a song about John Lennon, “You glorify the past when the future dries up.”

For some reason I have always loved that lyric. I had a great childhood. I had awesome teenage years. I had a great time in college and my life with my wife and my kids have been nothing short of a huge blessing on my life.
I got the opportunity a few weeks ago to attend my 20 year high school reunion. It was fun and it was great to see old friends and make new friends too. An old saying and one I never agreed with was that high school is the best time of your life. I heard this phrase about 20 times over the reunion weekend and every time someone said it I just smiled and wondered if maybe I was missing something.
Don’t get me wrong, high school rocked. But it wasn’t the best time of my life and to be honest I believe the best years of my life are ahead of me, not behind.

I think that every single person who calls them self a Christian can and should feel the same way. God created each and every one of us with a purpose. Jeremiah 29:11 tells of God knowing the plans He has for us, and they are good plans.
If I have another day ahead of me, it is another day in God’s plan, and that’s something to look forward to! If I wake up tomorrow, God has something in store for me. So I should wake up with an eye on what lies ahead with awe and wonderment. God, the creator of the universe has something for me to do.

Remember when you were a kid and your dad asked you to do something important? Remember the pride you felt as you set off to do your dad’s bidding? I do. I can remember my first trip as a 16 year old driving to the store to get milk. I wasn’t just driving, I was driving with a purpose, my family needed milk and I wasn’t going to let them down. I looked forward to future missions as I drove the 2 miles to get the milk.

That’s how I try to approach each day, each week, each new year that I have. I look back on the past with fondness, knowing that lessons learned in the past are preparing me for what lies ahead. But I don’t look longingly on the past as some utopia of my life. I look with great anticipation on what lies ahead. Who knows what missions my heavenly Father might have me? Will I travel to some foreign country? Will I lead a group of teenagers to the Lord? Will I write a book that changes people’s lives? Will I raise my boys to become men of God? Will I help my wife to become a woman of God that changes and touches people lives?

I don’t know, but that’s what drives me. That’s what pushes me on. Bono also sings in God Part II…”I’m gonna kick the darkness until it bleeds daylight.” A great lyric as well. It reminds me of the Dylan Thomas poem “Do Not Go Gentle Into That Goodnight”. In that poem Thomas describes someone getting older who isn’t going to fade away. He is going to rage against the dying of the light. He is going to fight and push on. Much like Bono saying he is going to kick the darkness until it bleeds daylight.

Well I am going to kick. I am going to rage. And I know my better, my best days are ahead of me!
Your best days are ahead of you too. God said so!

I refuse to glorify my past…because even though my past may have found memories as I look back, my future has not dried up so I press on…God has something for me (and you) to do…