Don’t Look Back
But Jesus told him, “Anyone who puts a hand to the plow and then looks back is not fit for the Kingdom of God.”
Luke 9:26
Jesus is telling us to keep moving forward and don’t look back, which means we think about moving forward. We are always thankful God has changed us, and we remember the blessings he has given us. This is remembering things of the past that motivate us to move forward toward Christ.
Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it. (Matthew 7:13-14) At the end of the narrow road, imagine seeing the light of God, and keep moving toward the light, and don’t look back at the broad road where there is nothing but darkness.
But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 3:13-14) Paul never looked back except to remember how Christ had changed him, and he strained toward what is ahead with optimism because he knew Heaven was is home. We keep moving down the narrow road toward the light guided by Christ through the Holy Spirit. Without depending on Christ’s guidance, we may bounce off the guardrails, or we might jump the guardrail into the darkness of the broad road.
Paul forgets what is behind because he knows we can’t move forward and backwards at the same time. He remembered only the things in the past that would motivate him to move forward. For example, things in the past include the Lord’s supper, faithfulness of God, love of God through Jesus going to the cross for our sins, how God has changed us, and the blessings of the Lord’s we have received. We may think reading the Word is going back over the same words, but remember the word is alive because Christ puts thoughts in our minds based on what we are currently experiencing in life.
Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. (2 Corinthians 5:17) When we accept Christ as our Lord and Savior, old things have passed away and all things become knew, because we are becoming knew because God is molding to conform to the image of his Son. As travel the narrow road we are becoming more like Jesus and we minister to those living in the darkness of the broad road.
Today starts a new year, so make a resolution to keep moving forward down the narrow road to Heaven, and don’t let nothing or nobody lead you into the darkness of the broad road. Keep studying the Word so you will never be deceived by false teaching, because Satan knows our weaknesses and our justifications.
Prayer: Lord guide me down the narrow road and keep me from looking and going back. In Jesus name, Amen