day no. 16,594: pride or shame in forgetting

"In the story of creation, Adam met Eve in a garden. In the story of redemption, Jesus met Mary in a garden. Adam met a woman with a disreputable future. Christ met a woman with a disreputable past. We must always remember this because we are so prone to forget it. And when we forget it, when we forget our name of Magdalene, we usually do so in one of two ways. We either become self-righteous because we have forgotten our past, or we are guilt-ridden because we have forgotten our future." — Douglas Wilson, Scripture Stores: Live and Times

Eve has trouble in her future; Mary had trouble in her past. But our troubles are no trouble for Christ. With man these things may be impossible, but in Christ they are not only possible, but passed over, accomplished, in His own words, "Finished!"

Pride is a self-righteous product of forgetting yesterday's sins;

Shame is a self-condemning product of forgetting tomorrow's salvation.

Christ has saved us, He is saving us, and He will save us.

Our pasts are forgiven and our futures are secure — let us not forget lest we too fall by standing proudly or make a stand in a shame spiral.