-February 23, 2022-
Good morning, happy Wednesday,
“And another also said. ‘Lord, I follow You, but let me first go and bid them farewell who are at my house.’ But Jesus said to him, ‘No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of heaven.’”
(Luke 9:61-62).
At first glance, it didn’t seem an unreasonable request by the would be disciple of Jesus. He said wanted to say goodbye to those at his house before embarking on a life of discipleship and service. But Jesus knows the heart and the motives of everyone. Disciples must be fully committed, dedicated, and devoted. The devil does his utmost to keep that from happening.
There can be no halfway or part time disciples. You can’t start well and then quit when the going gets tough. This is what happened with John Mark who was serving with Paul and Barnabas. He left them and the work of the Lord and went back to Jerusalem. We don’t know why. Paul didn’t want to give him a second chance but Barnabas did. This led to a rift between Paul and Barnabas. Barnabas took Mark and headed for Crete to serve the Lord, and Paul took Silas and went out on further missionary journeys. Later, Paul found Mark to be useful for the Lord’s work and requested that he join them.
In the OT, we have the example of Lot’s wife. The angels brought Lot, his wife, and his two daughters out of Sodom and Gomorrah just before God’s judgment fell on those cities. On the way out, Lot’s wife looked backed and became a pillar of salt. We can’t look back but must go straight ahead for the Lord. Jesus likens discipleship to plowing a field. The moment you look back the row you are plowing won’t be straight. It takes concentration, hardwork, and effort. The time to rest is when the work is done. The servants of the Lord never retire, but keep going until the Lord calls us home.
It is both a privilege and blessing to serve the Lord as His disciples. We may get tired in the work, but we don’t get tired of the work. We must keep pressing on until the end. There are many hindrances, oppositions, and distractions that we must overcome. The unknown hymn writer wrote, “I have decided to follow Jesus. No turning back. The world behind me, the cross before me. No turning back. Tho’ none go with me, I still will follow. No turning back. Will you decide now to follow Jesus? No turning back.
May the Lord help us to be fit for the kingdom of God, fit for the Master’s use. Let’s keep plowing for Jesus until He comes or calls us home in death whichever comes first. There is no better work to do, and no better boss to work for.
Have a blessed day serving Jesus, no looking back or turning back. Stay safe and healthy.
In the Master’s service,
Dean
Dean Allen's Daily Devotional 