The Backward Glance

Scripture Thought for the Week: Jesus replied, No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the service in the kingdom of God. Luke 9:62
Recently Gary and I attended an awards ceremony for one of his former colleagues. The main speaker for the event used the phrasing, the backward glance concerning her progression in her professional life. I quickly jotted down the phrase because it immediately set my thought processes into overdrive! How often are we consumed with backward glances of our spiritual lives causing the future to be filled with uneven rows of seeding for our future? My grandfather, Papa Cundiff, was a tobacco farmer. He also maintained a small garden where he grew a few things for his family. I remember as a child watching Papa plow with his horse, old Nellie, in the hot sun making rows for the plants and seeds. If you know much about this initial process of making rows for seeding, you understand that looking back at your progress while plowing will cause your present row to be crooked or uneven. There is so much wisdom to be harnessed from this example. As flawed human beings we continually look back upon past experiences, mistakes and sins and feel as if God cant possibly straighten out the mess weve made of our lives. Instead of forging ahead to the newness of each day and feeling the blessings of forgiven sins and mistakes, we wake to dredge up yesterdays uneven rows! Jesus has quoted in scripture that anyone who puts his hand to the plow in an attempt to begin anew, but looks back at the past isnt fit for the service He has planned for us. Not that we arent good enough, God loves us and wants to use us, but what good are we if the constant guilt and regret of past errors in judgment overshadow the Light of Gods love, mercy and forgiveness? Im an upward and onward kind of girl; however, there are times when Satan starts in causing doubts in my ability to do the things God has called me to achieve. Then there are times when previous mistakes God has forgiven seem to creep into the recesses of my mind causing me to feel unworthy to handle the work at hand and Gods amazing grace. Backward glances are timelines to see how far weve come, but are not intended as comfort zones lined with benches for us to stop and enjoy the view. Webster has defined backward as; Facing or turned in the opposite direction to somebody or something

 Positioned the opposite way around, arranged in the opposite order, or preceding in the opposite direction to the normal one Causing or representing a return to a previous or less advanced, and usually less satisfactory state Directed toward the past In the reverse order or direction from the usual Combining all these definitions, I am assuming that none of us desire to be faced in the opposite direction or to be positioned abnormally and directed toward the past in a reverse direction than what is usual. When it comes to facing our daily lives and routines these tactics seems less than progressive. Backward glances are to be just that.glances. Quickly look over the past, dont study it or dwell there. Allow the Spirit of God to teach you from past errors in judgment and move on. God desires for us to live on higher ground!

Lord, thank you for the ability to learn from past mistakes and for your forgiveness that covers the sin with your precious shed blood. Help us to understand the cost you paid for that forgiveness and how we are now set free from the bondage of sin. Enable our hearts to be touched by the grace and mercy that only you can give so that we may forge ahead with the work youve given us to do. Free us from the chains of backward glances that hinder and allow us to only glimpse the lessons from those encounters. In Jesus name, Amen!