No Looking Back...

Verse of the day: Luke 9:62 But Jesus said to him, “No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.”

How far would you get if you were moving forward, whether walking, driving, or riding a bicycle, if all you did was look back? I would have to guess, not too far. However, that is how some people want to follow Jesus. Yet, Jesus was very clear, that in order to follow Him, we must have our eyes forward. We must be focused on Him, as He leads, and not look back at our past or what we left behind. Too many want to follow Christ with one foot in the world, and one in Christianity; living on the fence, playing Christian, but careful to maintain what God said we should leave behind in the world. In this verse, Jesus is addressing one of three men, who all had an excuse for not following Him at that moment, even though each claimed they wanted to follow Him. For this man, Jesus is revealing to him that in order for him to be a follower he must be willing to leave it all behind. It is no different today. When we call upon Jesus to be our Lord and Savior, we are making a commitment to surrender ourself, our will, our all, and follow Him. Sadly, and more often than not, we are willing to follow, but only under our conditions, and we often refuse to do what God is really calling us to, and ministering in a way He desires for us. We are always trying to decide how we want to serve Him, as opposed to how HE wants us to serve Him. Too many want to hold on to worldly things, and worldly habits, and still claim to follow Jesus. However, that often comes across as hypocrisy. The bottom line is that if we have decided to follow Jesus, we must do it wholeheartedly, and without compromise. We must not look back at "what used to be", and instead focus on what is to come. We must leave our earthly endeavors behind, our past mistakes, our worldly lusts, and desires, and realize that we now belong to God, and have been set apart for HIS purposes, not ours. We have been bought with a price (the Blood of Jesus), and we are no longer our own. Take time today, and ask God to show you whether you are truly following Him or whether you are trying to follow Him while still trying to fellowship with the devils. Remember, being a friend to the world is to be at odds with, as an enemy to, God.