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

 Have you ever given much thought to your past? Maybe it’s your childhood, where sweet memories bring you much happiness, or maybe it was a special relationship that you treasured and now is no longer. In our reflection, we oftentimes desire to go back to the “good old days”, to relive those precious moments that seem to stay within our memory. But if you are true to yourself, you probably recognize you’ve come a long ways since then and life is different, and those moments your cherishes probably won’t fit into your life at this moment.

 That’s exactly what Jesus was telling a person who wanted to follow him, but he felt it necessary to take care of other business first. In the eyes of God, nothing is more important than serving Him, worshiping Him, and giving Him your complete and undivided attention. What’s the benefit in that you ask?

 I can tell you after 50 some years of living faith in Christ, nothing and no one compares to the goodness that God provides. He provides you with wisdom to make wise choices, He blesses you when you walk in obedience, and He has so much newness in store for your life, that when you long for things in your past, you miss out on God’s very best. You can even thwart His plans to use you for kingdom work.

 But Lot’s wife looked back behind him, and she became a pillar of salt. Genesis 19:26

 You might be familiar with the story of Lot and God’s destruction of the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. God instructed Lot, his wife, and family to escape and not look back. She looked back and paid the ultimate price for her disobedience. Don’t be like her, focus on the future and trust in God’s provisions. They might not always be the same as what you’ve experienced earlier in life, but eventually they will bring you to a better place, with God’s ultimate blessings in this life and into eternity. Your future in Christ is worth staying forward focused! God bless!