When you look back at your past—are you plagued with regret? When you look ahead to the future—are you filled with fear?
This week in The Gospel Project for Kids we are looking at the book of Zechariah. He had an amazing message that spoke to the past, as well as the future.
Zechariah was a prophet who delivered God’s Word to His people. Zechariah’s message had two main themes: look back at the past and look ahead to the future.
Often when I look back at my life, I can feel overwhelming regret. Things I didn’t do that I wish I had. And many, many things I did and said that I wish I could take back. God’s people had many generations-worth of past sins to rightly fill them with guilt. But Zechariah’s message to the current generation of God’s people was to repent: renounce the sins of the past and live in the freedom God has secured for you.
But what about the future? I confess it’s easy for me to feel anxious about tomorrow, next week, and next year. As the great C.S. Lewis put it, “We are not necessarily doubting that God will do the best for us; we are wondering how painful the best will turn out to be.”
Zechariah, too, had some fear-inducing words about the future. Words about God’s judgment and wrath against His enemies. But Zechariah also tells another story of the future. A story of a new king who would bring righteousness and humility to His reign on earth. A prophecy of King Jesus, 400 years before His birth.
So, although we don’t know all of what our future holds, we know that if we follow Jesus, we are no longer God’s enemies. No longer under wrath, but under grace. No longer slaves to fear, but adopted children.
This week’s lesson is one of trusting God with our past, present and future. I am praying you will be set free from the shackles of fear and regret and be free to walk with your head held high as a child of the one true King.
For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” (Romans 8:15).
