Ever thought about what you can learn from a cartoon movie? The other night we were watching Cars (Disney/Pixar movie) and one of the characters (Tow Mater) said something I thought interesting while he was driving backwards. His friend, Lightening McQueen, thought he should watch where he’s going. But Tow said “don’t need to know where I’m going just where I’ve been.”
In Deuteronomy 32:7 (NIV) it says, “remember the days of old; consider the generations long past. Ask your father and he will tell you, your elders, and they will explain to you.” It’s not only remembering the past but learning from it. If we learn from our mistakes – how we insulted God, how we didn’t do His will, how we thought our own power could get us through – then we can move forward trusting God knows us and what’s best for us. “Is he not your Father, your Creator, who made you and formed you?“(Deuteronomy 32:6b NIV)
I pray for quick conviction from the Holy Spirit when I am having selfish or jealous thoughts or discriminate as in James 2. I have to remember that God’s view of our earthly existence is completely opposite of my view – “Don’t love the world’s ways. Don’t love the world’s goods. Love of the world squeezes out love for the Father. Practically everything that goes on in the world—wanting your own way, wanting everything for yourself, wanting to appear important—has nothing to do with the Father. It just isolates you from him. The world and all its wanting, wanting, wanting is on the way out—but whoever does what God wants is set for eternity.” (1 John 2:15-17 The Message)
All this from a cartoon movie – God works in mysterious and wonderful ways!