LOOKING BACK, LOOKING FORWARD

The road to Ladakh is a formidable one. Tremendous gorges plunging into ravines,  and immense sandy plains confront the traveller, stretching the mindscape by its vast hostility and daunting solitude.  This photograph taken in the  rear view mirror of my motorbike is self expressive, from the time we took  a medical camp into the Zanskar valley.  I think it holds a powerful life lesson.

All of us have stories from our journeys. Our life lessons have not all been pleasant tales of green pastures and flowing waters. Yet, on our respective roads, we all do get the opportunity to look back, and then continue to look forward.

Why is looking back important? Even the people of Israel, on their Exodus were constantly asked to “Remember”.  We tend to forget. What does our rear view mirror show us?

For all of us, we can remember times and seasons of struggle, yet support and direction through those battles. Of strength, provision, and friends who came alongside us.  The recognition of the hand of God, watching, leading and guiding. When He has led us thus far, we can draw inspiration for the formidable challenges ahead. Our struggles shape and mould us, develop our muscle to be able to navigate the twists and turns of the boulder strewn horizon more gracefully than we did in the past. And we have the opportunity to draw not just on brute strength, but also the wisdom that was gleaned from pinnacles of the past.

One trekker, who has trekked the Rohtang pass in his youth,  walked over it again in his fifties. He said, that this time, he had one thing going for him. He had less strength and stamina, but he had the wisdom  and experience that his earlier summits had left him with.

We are all called out. We have been led so far. We can look backward with grateful thanks. And that strengthens us to look forward to the future with hope.

• ·      Let us look back and count the times we have been led, guided and helped.
• ·      Where we are now is a testimony to where we have come from and what we have come out of.
• ·      Let us recognize these historicial events in our lives with gratefulness.
• ·      Let this knowledge equip us for the road ahead, secure in the knowledge that the God of our yesterdays holds our tomorrows.