2Jesus replied, “No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.”
My husband and I were invited out to dinner with a Pastor and his wife, and our best friends. We could feel some kind of tension in the atmosphere, but we were not prepared for the proverbial ‘shoe to drop’ that would change the course of our lives, again! After we received our dinner and we discussed all the topics we wanted to-at length, the Pastor said, ‘well, we have something to tell you.’ My face went white, I began to shake. I had heard those words so many times before, and they never ended on a good note-for us. That conversation usually had something like; ‘we have been offered another job/pastorate/assignment in another city. We have accepted the offer. We are leaving and wanted you to be the first to know.’
This time was no different. The Pastor we grew to love and respect over several years, was leaving to go to to another Pastorate. We have had friends, relatives, more friends, Pastor’s, more relatives, move out of the area-and out of our lives. Over the 46 years we have been married I counted over a dozen close friends that have left us behind as they moved on to reach for their destiny! I cannot say it didn’t hurt. A friend I worked with thought my best friend had died. It did feel kinda like he did!
When God calls us into the family of God, and we accept, we are actually the ones moving! We are moving from a life of darkness, defeat and anxiety, into a life of light, hope and joy! When we are the friend moving into that new life, we are leaving our old friends behind. What does light have to do with darkness? It is a good move for us, but our friends are sad for themselves. I realized that is the way it was with my friends that were leaving. They were moving on to better things. Better jobs, houses, Pastor assignments. We had the same opportunity to move. In fact, in some cases were were even asked to go with them. We chose not to go. The strings of content, family obligations, jobs and familiar circumstances anchored us to the familiar path we were on.
Same way with those who reject joining us on the gospel road leading to life everlasting. The opportunity exists for all to come to Jesus. Some, stay behind. Their familiar, comfortable life of sin anchored them to the status quo they were comfortable in. Change seemed way to difficult for them.
We stayed behind once again, while our friends moved forward into new adventures. In this case, we lost the closeness of our friends, but gained a place to visit on vacation.
In the case of Jesus, those who move forward gain the guarantee of a home in Heaven after death. Those left behind have the guarantee of a home in hell, for a very very long time!
Consider this, you may get the offer from a friend who recently moved into the family of God and has become a believer in Christ. In their excitement, they will want to share that opportunity with you. What will you do?
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