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-======  ... ======
+====== Looking Back and Looking Forward ... ======
-Saturday, Dez 21, 2019.
+Saturday, Dez 21, 2019. Christmas is coming, and many of us have holiday to spend time with the
+family or to take time out, relax and get some distance to our normal duties. It is time to think about
+life, about MY life. It is time to think about what is really important to me.
+What is important to you? Can we quickly check the options? Can we go through what is important to
+you personally? Let us imagine we sit together over a tee, or perhaps with a glass of wine or beer. Imagine
+as old friends we talk about what happened in the past 12 month. We look forward into our plans for the
+next year. What is it that we could achieve. What is it where we failed. What is coming? Are we
+afraid of some things? Are we looking forward to others?
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-** ... **
+** Important Things and People in my Life ... **
+Perhaps there are people which are important to you. You might have good friends, or a partner, or kids,
+or parents. Sometimes we really like some people who do not know that we love them, that we care for them.
+Not all of us take it easy to express our feelings.
+Perhaps we can look back and be happy about some things we could achieve. Some write articles or books or
+other forms of publications. Some of us were responsible for some project and it went well. Others care
+for people, the nurses and doctors in the hospital. They are happy that they managed to do some of their
+work well - even if the pressure and stress of work is quite difficult.
+We might also think about those tasks which we did not achieve, where we did not succeed. Perhaps we did
+only a little part of what we planned to do, just because everything went differently from what we would
+have chosen. Perhaps we did some stupid things, said stupid words, or got into a fight where we should have
+been quiet (even if we were right).
+To me personally, there are many important people and many important things.
+But there is one core person in my life, which is giving
+all things and all people the right framework. It is the Lord, the creator, the God of this universe. I know
+him as God, the father. I know him as Jesus, the son. And I know him as the holy spirit, who fills my heart
+and my mind. God is both the framework and the content from which I can face my past and my future! Let
+me explain this a little more ...
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-** ... **
+** Jesus in the Past and in the Future ... **
+When I look back, I can face the past month in a calm and honest way, since the spirit helps me. I need to
+see things clearly, without prejudice towards anyone, including myself. "In Jesus" all my guilt is taken
+away. So I know that I do not have to fear my own guilt. He is taking it anyway. I can look at it. I can
+see my failures, my mistakes. I can see where I am evil. I do not need to ignore or deny it.
+In the gospel of John, Jesus is called the lamb of God. He is called the lamb in many places. "The lamb"
+is the title of honor for Jesus, in particular when the revelation talks about his role in heaven.
+<color #aa0000>
+The next day he [John the Baptist] saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!
+</color>(John 1, 29)
+Jesus is taking away the sin of the world. This is important for everyone. It means that we can have a new
+beginning. Today can be a time of a new beginning. Tomorrow can be a time of a new beginning. He has taken
+away what can destroy us. He is taking away what brings death and destruction. The sin of the world is
+taken into this death at Calvary. There is so much future in this, when the lamb of God takes away the sin
+of the world. It takes away my sin, but also your sin and the sin of everyone else - all who believe in him.
+Let us take the lamb of God into all our past. Let us forgive, and be forgiven.
+Let us take the lamb of God into our presence. We want him here and now, in this very minute,
+to fill us with his mercy, with his thankfulness, his clarity, his peace and his vibrant life.
+Let us take the lamb of God into our future. Let him be the defining power of what we are, let him be
+the father, Lord and guide in each and every part of our life. In his freedom, we will experience
+unbelievable wonders, each and every day.
 (Roland Potthast)