i try not to carry around too many regrets; they’re awful heavy. but, i want to tell you about one i do have. One summer evening when i was maybe 10 years old, my mom told me she was going to the store. I can’t remember the circumstances, but i was to stay home. Mom probably just needed a half hour to herself for once! Well, maybe it was the steroid inhaler i was taking for childhood asthma, or maybe it was normal little-kid drama, but i got really upset. you could say that i threw a fit. As mom walked out to the car, i fumed and cried on the porch. At that very moment, Mike, a boy from down the street came walking up to the door. I was surely embarrassed to be seen crying, and something in my primal, boyish psyche told me that the best defense is a good offense. So, when Mike asked me what was wrong, i answered things like, “Nothing” and “Go away!” I’ll never forget the look on Mike’s face: Instead of being insulted he appeared genuinely concerned. He wanted to know if i would come out and play, and i distinctly remember him saying, “I just want to be your friend. Don’t you want to be my friend, Ryan?” Though i was still blubbering away, i insisted on trying to maintain my tough-guy stance. Through hot tears I snapped back, “No!” Mike walked away, obviously saddened. we never did become friends.

That’s a regretful experience. Now, Jesus makes all things new, and forgives us of bad decisions, yet it is still a reality that i missed out on a possible childhood friendship. I missed out on a friendship because i didn’t leave my place of pride and pain and come over to where mike was.

Strangely, I thought about that when i read Revelations 21:7 this week:

“He who overcomes will inherit these things, and I will be his God and he will be My son”

When i hear the word “overcomer” i think “tough guy.” I think of people with grit and tenacity; exceptionally strong and dedicated ones. i normally don’t think of myself like that. This time, i found myself staring at the word “overcome”, i broke it up, “over” “come”, i reversed the order, “come” “over”. I thought of childhood friends calling on the phone saying, “Hey, you wanna come over?” I thought of Mike and how i did not come-over to where he was, but rather stayed in my safe little porch of pride and pain. I thought of the Israelites on the edge of the Promised Land, with one final obstacle to overcome: a river they would have to come over. Those who overcame we’re those who came over.

All of the sudden, overcoming became greatly simplified. Those who overcome are those who come over to where God is calling us. it’s simple. it’s free. it’s for the weak and the willing. it’s inherited, not earned. It’s by His blood, not by our sweat.

There is much to say about this, but for today: God is asking us, “Do you want to come over?” All we need bring to this river is a weak and willing heart. If our hearts are yet too strong with pride, we may plead that He break them. If we are not yet willing to leave our present, familiar yet un-fulfilling position, then we may pray as David did, “sustain me with a willing spirit.” God will help us be weak. God will help us be willing. God will carry us over these waters, if we only wish to come over to the other side with Him.