Don't Look Back!

Luke 9:62 "No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the Kingdom of God."

This verse really spoke to me in seminary as I was dealing with some stuff that was threatening to hold me back. I really struggled to let go of it, but it was painful stuff that I was used to and didn't want to let go of, ironically. This verse motivated me to let it go and go on towards Christ.

I had to trust that He would make a way for me and lead me down the path to get to that way. I had to trust that He would always be with me to whisper in my ear which way to go. I had to believe that He had a strong plan for me, to prosper me and not to harm me, to give me a hope and a future (Jeremiah 29:11). I had to believe that the best gift of that whole time ahead of me (without looking back) was that Jesus would be with me, prodding me forward.

Several weeks ago, I saw a little bit of a History Channel special which featured the story of Lot and his wife. They were told by angels to flee Sodom and Gomorrah because God was going to destroy these two cities because of the debauchery there. Lot's wife turned back and immediately turned into a pillar of salt, the story goes. One of the commentators made the observation that she might not have trusted what lay ahead and instead wanted one last glimpse of all she ever knew. Consequently she ended her own life by pining away for memories of a bad life.

How true is that today? How many times do we stall instead of moving forward, because we are scared about what the future might bring? How much do we miss because we can't get out of what we know and take a step toward bright things that we don't know?

And still God promises that if we follow him, He will be with us and He will lead us. Jeremiah 33:3 says "call to Me, and I will tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know!" The great gift is to walk through life with Him, rather than to miss out. And along the way, He plans blessings for us.

Beth Moore says it this way, and I paraphrase. If God calls you to go somewhere or do something, it is His responsibility what happens to you. And I add, wouldn't a good, holy, and loving God who promises to take care of His people take care of you and me as we follow Him?