Leaving The Past Behind

 

In the chapter 21 of John we learn of Jesus Christ coming back after his resurrection and appearing to his disciples. He appears on the shore nearby where his disciples are fishing and he tells them to cast their nets to the right side of their boat. At this point they had been fishing for a whole day and night straight and hadn't caught anything. The moment they cast their net to the right their net was full. It was at that moment that Simon Peter recognized Jesus and jumped into the water to swim to shore and greeted him. Jesus was at the shore with fish and bread for them. Jesus then asked Peter three times If he loved him. Peter replied each time "yes". Jesus's reply to Peter each time was "Feed My Sheep".

This has become one of my favorite chapters in the New Testament. When Christ had finished his 3 year ministry on Earth the disciples were left behind. They were left to continue on in good for the rest of their lives. They weren't to just go back to normal and forget everything that had happened as they walked with Christ. They were to leave their nets behind forever. As a full time missionary the message this chapter gives is very meaningful for me. The day I decided to serve the Lord I decided to leave my old life behind. Not just for these 24 months that I have been called to serve a mission but for the rest of my life. When time finally comes for me to leave my mission and move on with my life,  I will move on as a "New creature in Christ". (2 Corinthians 5:17)  

I will never return to my past. That is the hope and brightness of the Atonement of Christ. The Atonement of Jesus Christ allows us to leave our past behind us and never look back. With the Atonement of Christ we are always focusing on the Future as opposed to what's behind us. I am grateful for the gospel in my life and the person I am and will be as I live the gospel. The gospel is hope and life. I know that as we leave our nets behind and commit to follow Jesus Christ and live the gospel we will be forever looking towards the future with hope, gratitude and confidence. I know as we enrich our lives with living the gospel we can be who we want to be and forever change. This is my testimony of Christ's Atonement and Gospel In the Name of Jesus Christ. Amen. 

Elder Erich Gardner