The white metal sign looked so lonely, its faded yellow trim standing out in a field of brittle grass and flowing weeds.
Once upon a time it had been an important warning marker to approaching boats. At some point in the past it had served a purpose, had helped travelers avoid danger by not letting them float too close to the jetty that would likely bring their boat to a bitter end.
But that was a long time ago.
Now the sign was abandoned and irrelevant. The world had moved on, leaving only echoes and memory of a past when the sign served a purpose. To pay attention to it now would just be silly, because the danger of which it warned had long since passed.
Sometimes we live our lives like that.
Once upon a time we set up walls and gates to protect our hearts from grief and our lives from pain. At some point we built defenses and routines that served a purpose. They helped us avoid danger on our travels through life by not letting us get too close to other people. They gave us the time and space we needed to heal and grow.
But maybe that was a long time ago.
Maybe paying too much attention to the warnings and watchtowers you created isn’t helping you anymore but is hurting you instead. Maybe the habits you built to keep from drowning in sorrow have kept you from not just a river of tears, but the river of life as well.
Maybe there are still reasons to be on your guard, for sure, but maybe it’s been long enough that there aren’t as many as you think. Maybe it’s time to trust God with your heart and take a chance today, and let the past be the past.
-Pastor Phillip
