Today, I am another year older.  The wiser part is still to be determined.

It was a busy day at work but I still found myself thinking a lot about my life in general.  I guess birthdays will do that to you.  I was looking back at my past, looking around at my present and looking ahead to my future.

I look back at my past and think of the kind of person I was and the decisions I made.  Some were good…some were not.  Because of those “not good” decisions, I ended up hurting others and myself.

I look around at my present and recognize that even after 46 years of living on this earth, I still don’t get things right.

I look ahead to my future and become more aware that I truly have no idea what is ahead for me.

Such is life, right?  Well…I found some reassurance in this familiar passage of scripture:

Joel 3:25  I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten, the hopper, the destroyer, and the cutter, my great army, which I sent among you.

Christians like this passage a lot and we should.  We quote the restore part all the time but those 5 words at the end are also key: “…which I sent among you.”  

The reason?  God was administering punishment on Israel.  This time, their hardships weren’t the result of big bad Egypt or even the giant Philistines picking on little Israel.  This was more about what Israel had done to themselves.

Unfortunately, I can relate.  Some of my “locust” seasons weren’t caused by anyone else or even by the enemy.  It was me doing it to me.

In spite of this, there is also hope provided for Israel and for you & me.  While God gave Israel what they deserved to teach them a lesson, this same God also gave Israel what they didn’t deserve because He loved them.  He gave them restoration.

It gets better.

26 “You shall eat in plenty and be satisfied, and praise the name of the Lord your God, who has dealt wondrously with you. And my people shall never again be put to shame.”

There’s more.

28 “And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions.

Logistically, it seems dreaming is for the young but that’s not how it is presented here.  The middle-aged and old folks, including this 46 year old woman, are still meant to dream.

My past? Restored.  My present? Satisfied. My future? Dream away.

I was looking back at my past, looking around at my present and looking ahead to my future…and all I could say is God is good.

~Anu

“Holy, there is no one like you, there is none besides you 

Open up my eyes in wonder. Show me who you are,

Fill me with your heart and lead me in your love to those around me.

I will build my life upon your love, it is a firm foundation.

I will put my trust in your alone, and I will not be shaken.” 

Lyrics from “Build My Life” by Housefires