You Cannot Advance By Looking Back

Jesus said that no man, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the Kingdom of God! Jesus was talking about once you have given your life to Him, you should not allow the former things of the world seduce you back from following Him. (Luke 9: 62)

This is a great verbal picture of the plowman. It depicts how, once the plow has been set in motion, the only way to keep the furrows ramrod straight the plowman has to focus his gaze at his destination! The furrow will follow the line of the farmer’s gaze! You can well imagine what would happen if he turned completely around on that plow!

Another account about looking back is the story of Lot’s wife. The Lord had issued an order to Lot not to look back if he and his family wanted to be saved. His wife did, and she turned into a pillar of salt! Wow, that was rather drastic, wasn’t it? But when God issues a command, be assured that He already knows the end result. Most importantly, He knows the heart. It can be assumed that in this case Lot’s wife had a longing to return to the evil God had saved her from. (Gen. 19: 17; 20: 26)

Where is your focus? Are you a new creation in Christ but have trouble walking the narrow path He has laid out for you? Psychoanalysts teach that all your troubles stem from your upbringing, and that parents and circumstances are to blame for your present troubles. It is true that you form opinions, attitudes and feelings according to your past. However, it is also a fact that identical twins with the identical past history can have totally different perspectives on their future. That indicates that you do have a choice in how you react to your past and focus on the future.

The bottom line is that God has your future in His hand and He has given you a hope and a purpose. He is your Creator. He did not make puppets. He has given you choices. You alone can choose whether to follow Him, accept His unconditional Love for you, and ask Him to make you a brand new creature. He is there for you. That is what Jesus did for you on the cross. No matter how horrendous your past or how vile your sins, He loves you with an everlasting Love!

You may be thinking that is all well and good for others, but nobody knows what you’ve been going through. You’re absolutely right! BUT GOD! He is always there with the Answer for Every situation. His Blood, shed on the cross for you, covers every sin, hurt, sickness and turmoil. He is the only One you can truly Trust!

It is He who has called you to be righteous through His Blood. He will hold you by the hand and keep you safe. He teaches that what happened in the past is gone forever. He is declaring new things over your life, and will even tell you what is to come! He will turn your eyes in a new direction, bring light into your darkness, and make everything that is crooked in your life straight! (Isa. 42: 6,9,16)

Just as the plowman turns the soil to prepare it to receive and sprout new seed, so will the Lord turn over the fallow ground of your heart and sow His seed of Love into you! All you need to do is choose not to concentrate on your past, but keep your gaze steadfastly on Him!

Remember, you can do all things through Christ who strengthens you! The peace of God, which is beyond all human understanding, shall keep your heart and mind through Christ Jesus. (Phil. 4: 13,7)

Ann Stewart, inspirational author of With Wings As Eagles, also syndicates a weekly newsletter Embracing All the Promises of God. For inspiration, hope, faith and joy for daily living, subscribe here: