Keep your eyes looking forward!
Luke 9:62-Jesus told him, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.” (EHV)
One of my grandfather’s greatest lessons helped me understand these words of Jesus. When I was a young boy, my grandfather would take me out to the field on his tractor. We were weeding the fields. After a while, he would ask if I wanted to drive the tractor. Of course, I would say yes since I wanted to be like my grandfather. But as soon as I took the wheel, I would fear running over the crops. I would look back to see if I destroyed any crops. He would gently tell me to look forward. All I need to do is to keep the tractor strait and the crops would be fine.
The words of my grandfather helped me understand what Jesus meant. Looking back while driving the tractor would cause me to lose control of the wheel and the tractor would run over the crops. Looking back in our lives in God’s kingdom can derail us and cause us to lose our way. It could be looking back on our sin and mistakes, or it could be looking back at the things we missed in this world because we gave them up for the kingdom. There is a great temptation to look back instead of keeping our eyes looking ahead.
If the devil can keep us focused on the things of this world, he can get us off the path to eternal life. We would no longer be fit for the kingdom. How can we remain fit for the kingdom? Look ahead to what Jesus is bringing! Instead of getting caught up in the past, we look forward to what we have coming in the future. The reason why we can be confident…Jesus died and rose. He has already finished his work and now we wait patiently, but confidently with our eyes focused on what is coming.
Dear Lord. Help us focus on what is to come. Let us not become distracted on the past or the things that we have left behind. Keep us always fit for you kingdom though your death and resurrection. In your name we pray. Amen!