Power of the Past
Luke 9:62 But Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the
plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.
I’m definitely not a farmer myself, but I did grow up in a part of the country where corn, sugar beets, and wheat covered a great deal of the countryside. And, I did get to work on some of the farms, driving tractor. While it was quite fascinating to watch the machinery work the ground, and though it was necessary to make certain that it was operating correctly from time to time, it was most important that the great majority of the focus be given to where the tractor was going rather than where it had been. Keeping the wheels headed straight down the rows really wasn’t all that difficult to maintain, but if for a second the front wheels were allowed to stray from the true straight line crossing the field, it would create a swerve in the rows that was unacceptable to any legitimate farmer. The days might get long, hot, and dusty, but the attention had to be kept on where the tractor was headed at all times, even during the occasional backward glance. Everything about where you’d been with that tractor would be clearly seen by anyone who might later drive by the field, and where you were looking while driving would be the greatest determining factor as to whether or not you created a success or a mess.
The end of the year is the usual time for retrospect, when experiences of the past year are acknowledged. There is power in this backward glance to maintain an assurance of operability and use those remembered moments for adjustments and lessons learned. However, there is also power in that backward glance if too extended to get completely off course and create an unacceptable past. There is one other power of the past, though, that has been provided for us in Christ, when the future is given significance and hope by the past we’ve been given in Him. Everything we’ve gone through, both good and bad, when taken to the cross can be part of His working all things together for our good. (Romans 8:28)
There is a significant work for each of us in the kingdom of God, all of which requires a forward focus, with only a backward glance that keeps things in the perspective of the cross. Victory, forgiveness, and especially the overcoming power of love are the lessons to be learned there, resulting in a heightened lively hope of a productive and gratifying life in Him.
