Looking Back

Luke 9:62

And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.

This verse came to mind when I was driving down the interstate today, traffic in Atlanta is terrible all the time. I found myself constantly looking in the rear view mirror, it's almost impossible to drive in heavy traffic without looking behind you. It has nothing to do with where you are going, but who or what is behind you. Obviously, you can see where you have already been but more importantly it helps avoid an accident.

Luke is not forbidding us to look back, but warning us of the dangers of turning back. When times get difficult, and they will, when God seems like he is not listening, and it does happen, or when you've done everything right but it seems like it didn't matter, and you feel like just giving up and throwing in the towel, don't! Keep moving forward and keep breaking up the ground, plant the seed into the straight rows, and then wait for the harvest, for if we faint not in due season we shall reap. It's true because God said it, and He is faithful, He has never failed us and He won't start now.

What I have discovered, when I look back is how far He has brought me, at times I could not see a way out but as I look back, He brought me through just like He said He would. What do you see when you look back over 2020? Were there times you felt like you couldn't go on? Did you feel like your problem couldn't be solved? But here we are ready to face a new year, He didn't fail us last year and neither will He in the new year. I feel like the song writer as I move into 2022, "I've come to far to turn back now".

Pastor Ken Smith