On the Australian coat of arms is a picture of an emu and a kangaroo. These animals were chosen because they share a characteristic. Both the emu and kangaroo can move only forward, not back. The emu’s three-toed foot causes it to fall if it tries to go backwards, and the kangaroo is prevented from moving in reverse by its large tail.
Backwards is nearly impossible for them...
For us, sometimes it’s a different story.
- We go to church on the weekend... get filled with the joy of the Lord... and then Monday comes with its expected stress. It’s enough to move our strength backwards.
- We go to a friend for comfort... get some much needed perspective... and then let the enemy convince us to wrestle with it some more. It’s enough to make our faith move backwards.
- We try to get past our past... pray through the painful memories... and then go right back to those old behaviors. It’s enough to convince us that our lives are backwards.
Two steps forward... leaps and bounds backward.
Jesus has a different purpose for our lives. Look at what He tells his disciples:
Luke 9:57-62 [emphasis mine]
“As they were walking along, someone said to Jesus, “I will follow you wherever you go.”
But Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens to live in, and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place even to lay his head.”
He said to another person, “Come, follow me.”
The man agreed, but he said, “Lord, first let me return home and bury my father.”
But Jesus told him, “Let the spiritually dead bury their own dead! Your duty is to go and preach about the Kingdom of God.”
Another said, “Yes, Lord, I will follow you, but first let me say good-bye to my family.”
But Jesus told him, “Anyone who puts a hand to the plow and then looks back is not fit for the Kingdom of God.”
Jesus called them forward and they obliged. Then it hit them....
Wait Jesus, I have to....
Hold on Jesus, first I need to...
Hey Jesus, can I go back to...
Hesitation to full commitment. Jesus saw it in their hearts.
There seems to always be a reason to serve God half-heartedly.
- We aren’t sure He can do what He claims to do every day...not just Sunday...so we forget about His daily provision, grace, and joy.
- We doubt that things will ever change in our life. So we choose worry instead of worship.
- We realize we can’t change the past... so we voluntarily allow it to define us.
One step forward in Christ... only to be shoved backward by the lies of the enemy.
The temptation for some is to follow Christ with one eye on His promises and one on what they think they can control. Jesus tells us to press on... don’t look back... and never GO back. Where you were brought you to who you’ve become. No need to regret past mistakes, ancient history, or painful memories.
Christ clearly says...
Follow me... Keep your eyes fixed on what I am about to do....Focus on where we are going together. Move forward... not backward. Come to my open arms... don’t backtrack to the pain you’re familiar with. Serve Me with your whole heart... head up... one foot in front of the other. Don’t compromise, retreat, or surrender. I have great things in store for those who refuse to turn around and stare at the past hoping it will change....
Don’t give up an inch of what God’s allowed you to be victorious over... Allow the mistakes of your past to give you wisdom and perspective when dealing with the present. Gain ground by spending your time refocusing not regretting. Commit 100% to serving Him and letting Him lead.
Take your next step down the path even when you don’t see where you’ll put your foot. It will be solid ground... He promises it.
Let’s commit to moving forward together... with Christ... no matter what.
