I Was a Schoolyard Judas—Decades Later, Jesus Reunited Us
Therefore know this day, and consider it in your heart, that the Lord Himself is God in heaven above and on the earth beneath; there is no other (Deuteronomy 4:39).
It’s our responsibility to be truly thankful through the outward expression of praise, worship, and telling the whole world what Jesus has done for us through redeeming time. But let’s be a bit more introspective.
When the Lord does an amazing new thing in your life, it is your responsibility to guard what God has done and keep it special in your life. You have to value and make a big deal out of this thing called redeeming time by pondering it personally.
But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart (Luke 2:19).
That’s what Mary did. She pondered. She considered, con- templated, and let the goodness, blessing, and the wonder of it all marinate in her spirit. Throughout her lifetime, I’d guess those treasured moments became revelations of God’s love— kind of like the pieces of a puzzle coming together.
When it comes to redeeming your timeline, your ability to hang on to the truth of the Word and the impact of His presence is all about being committed to contemplation. What you meditate or mentally chew on is a skillset developed by recognizing how God moves in your life.
I will meditate on Your precepts, and contemplate Your ways (Psalm 119:15).
When Jesus starts to change your today because He is redeeming your yesterday, hurts and habits will melt away. Your hang- ups? You are no longer imprisoned by them. Everything shifts. Sometimes, He drops a God bomb and you are completely blown away by His love. Want an example?
I asked Jesus to redeem a broken relationship with someone I had wounded deeply growing up. The very day I prayed that prayer, the Lord answered in an explosive way.
His name was Joe. We were in the fifth grade and he had won a big, beautiful blue ribbon during field day at school. I wasn’t fast or coordinated, and try as I might, I could not even win a purple ribbon for eighth place. I wanted a ribbon so bad. I wanted to show my family in hopes they would be proud of me.
Waiting for the school bus home, Joe put his ribbon down and went to get a drink. A broken little boy desperate for love and affirmation, I took it. Joe came back and he was devastated. I saw how hurt he was. He cried the whole way home and I saw that pain turn to anger and bitterness as we climbed on that yellow bus.
You see, Joe was poor. And I mean, dirt poor. The kids made fun of him for his worn clothes and shoes. Joe was a good guy, but that didn’t matter to the schoolyard bullies. Now, I had become one of them. The ride home was agony for both of us. Even after Joe got off the bus, my guts were churning with guilt and fear. It only got worse when I got home.
The person I had hoped would be proud of me wasn’t impressed. They spit chewing tobacco all over that blue ribbon in “approval” of my feat. I couldn’t even return it. That wasn’t the worst part. Joe’s trust was so shattered, he never spoke to any of us boys again. Not. One. Word.
Over the years, I stuffed that whole incident down inside me. There were plenty of failures, betrayals, and broken relationships to pile on top of it. It was all a big, jumbled mess in a dark corner of my past until I was driving to a food outreach 30 years later. For no reason at all, the memory of what I had done to Joe crawled out of the shadows. Talk about a gut punch.
“Lord Jesus,” I cried out from that painful place deep inside, “I cannot stand what I did to Joe. I can’t stand that it broke him and made him not trust anybody. I can’t stand that I took something so special to him—something he earned and deserved—just to please someone who was never going to love me even if I earned every blue ribbon. King Jesus, Sir, I ask You to go back into my timeline, and into Joe’s, and apply Your blood to that place. Lord, fix the broken things in him and in me. I don’t know how You’re going to redeem this, but I know You will because You are good.” I bawled and squalled the whole way to the event. I composed myself and tried to act normal as I was introduced to the crowd. Pastor Troy Brewer was going to give a sermon about service, selflessness, and demonstrating the goodness of God, then pray and lead a team out to feed the hungry. Instead, I crumbled. I found myself in tears. I recounted the very story I just told you to a room full of strangers, telling them how I asked Jesus to travel into the past and fix the mess I had made.
“Troy,” said a tall man who had stood to his feet in the middle of the crowd. “Troy, it’s Joe. I forgive you.” Stunned, I just stood there like a deer in headlights. My brain was calculating the odds and, finding them impossible, I stared at the man and recognized the boy in his face. My heart began to race as Joe said something that slays me to this day: “Troy, I want to know Jesus like you know Jesus. Can you help me do that?” My guilt and shame were blown to smithereens!
I treasure that in my heart. I chew on it like spiritual beef jerky. I contemplate how quickly and completely the Lord brought His blood into my timeline and Joe’s. I consider the perfect timing of King Jesus to work all these circumstances together for our good and bring us to a place of full reconciliation and restoration. You can too.
Only fear the Lord, and serve Him in truth with all your heart; for consider what great things He has done for you (1 Samuel 12:24).
I Declare in Jesus’ Name…
The light of Jesus is exposing my darkness. I will not hide what can be redeemed.
I will consider the ways of the Lord. He has truly done great things for me.
I will recognize the fruit of redemption in my life and ponder the love of God in my heart.
The blood of Jesus is working in my life. I have great expectancy for my future because He has redeemed my past.
