Gimme that Moment Back, Please!

How often do you find yourself wishing you could retrieve a certain moment in time? Maybe you said something, did something, responded wrong—whatever it may have been you just wish that moment had never taken place. You would love to be able to say, “Gimme that moment back, please?”

I think about what is perhaps the biggest “Gimme that moment back” moment ever. The Scripture says: “The woman was convinced. She saw that the tree was beautiful and its fruit looked delicious, and she wanted the wisdom it would give her. So she took some of the fruit and ate it. Then she gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it, too” (Genesis 3:6 NLT).

How often did Adam and Eve reflect on that moment in time when they silenced the voice of GOD in their hearts and allowed worldly influence to creep in? When they were confronted by GOD the first time about their sin? When they were forced out of the garden in shame? When their son murdered his brother? When they saw the world falling apart around them?

All of these were reminders to them of GOD’s warning: “You may freely eat the fruit of every tree in the garden—except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. If you eat its fruit, you are sure to die” (Genesis 2:16-17 NLT). Their world began to die around them and the significance of GOD’s words became reality. Everyday this warning sounds for us but do we listen?

Every day we toy around with things in life that we know we should stay away from. And every day, we get bit by them. We find ourselves wanting that moment back—wanting a do-over, please, only to find it is too late, the sin has been committed the consequences have arrived. The sad truth is we seem to never learn! We go right back to the tree and take another look at the forbidden fruit and try to justify why we need to reach out and take another bite—only to discover we are the one to truly get bit.

Paul warned us to “Stay away from every kind of evil” (1 Thessalonians 5:22 NLT) for a reason. He understood the cost that had to be paid. He understood the repercussions of disobedience that would continue to resound from generation to generation.

Instead of needing to retrieve a bad moment in time, take your eyes off the deadly fruit, quit toying around with sin and follow Jesus Christ and allow right living to consume your total being.

Scripture Reading: “And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect” (Romans 12:1-2 NLT).

Prayer: Father in heaven, my life is filled with moments I wish I could take back. My mouth has said things it should’ve never said; I have carried out things in life that should’ve never been done. I just wish that I had a do-over. I am thankful that You have redeemed me through Jesus Christ. I am thankful that I am forgiven and my past is washed away by the blood of Jesus. I ask for Your strength to just say NO! when temptation comes my way. Help me to say NO! to the things that easily distract me and pull me away from Your truth. Help me to focus on You and to remain that way…in Jesus’ name…AMEN!