No Turning Back

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.  

When to Let Go

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

  Philippians 4:6-7

There is a story told about a construction worker. This construction worker was employed on a high-rise building project, which required him and others to work after dark. He was busy on the edge of one of the walls which was many stories high, when he suddenly lost his balance and fell.

As he fell over the edge, he managed to grab the edge of the wall with his fingertips. Desperately he hung on hoping that somebody would discover his perilous situation. He was in total darkness, just about hanging on to the wall, and crying out loud for help. Due to the noise and machinery at the construction site, no one could hear him; all his screams were in vain.

Very soon his arms begin to grow weak and his grip began to slip. He tried praying, but no miracle occurred. At last his fingers slipped from the wall and with a cry of horror he fell! He fell exactly 3 feet and landed on a scaffold that had been there all the time. But he had not seen it because of the darkness.

Sometimes darkness hides the truth.

The construction worker in this story was 36 inches from peace... and couldn’t see it.  All he needed to do was let go and he would have been fine.  But how was he supposed to know that?  How are we supposed to know when to let go...or when to worry...or when to trust?   

How many times have you worried about something so much that it changed?

Ever?  

Me neither.  It’s not possible.  So why do so many of us do it?   Why is worry part of our daily life?  Why are we so afraid to let go and let God take over?  I think the answer can be found in today’s verse with these three questions.

 Am I praying about it?  

 Do I have to fully understand why before letting go?

 Will God really catch me?

Paul tells us that if we are going to beat worry, we need to start with prayer.  Go to God with an open and honest heart...both to petition (ask) and listen.  Prayer isn’t a defensive maneuver or a last resort... it is the strongest and most result-producing thing we can do as Christ-followers. 

I talk to so many who feel that they need to understand why before they can stop worrying.  I think it’s more important to know Who.  Who has the power to change lives?  Who makes the impossible happen?  Who has our best interest in mind?  Who is trying to help us grow through crisis?  God is.  You won’t always understand why things happen... but you should know Who will get you through them.

The last question seems easy.  Will God catch me if I let go?  Will God be there if I truly give up worrying?  The answer is found in the second half of the verse... when we let go... when we pray and give it up to God... He gives us “the peace of God, which transcends all understanding”  We let go... He takes over.  We give up stress... He gives us peace.  We release our grip... He opens His hand.  

God will NEVER let you fall.  

Today... if you find yourself worrying... take a second and pray.  Even when you don’t understand... pray.  Then allow your grip to release.  He promises that even though we don’t see His hand below us, it’s there.  Those beautiful nail-scarred hands are ready to catch us, hold us, and deliver us from where we are to where He created us to be.