Don’t Look Back !

Call To Prayer 

Title: Don’t Look Back 

Date: 21.10.2023 

By: Njuacha Hubert 

But Lot’s wife looked back, and she became a pillar of salt. Genesis 19:26 

Jesus replied, “No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.” Luke 9: 62 

Lot’s wife turned into a pillar of salt when she looked back. The angel of God had instructed them not to look back as they ran from the city to safety (Genesis 19:17). What is obvious to see is that her turning into a pillar of salt is a direct consequence of her disobedience to instruction. But the Lord was also teaching us about the danger of looking back. Jesus says in Luke 9:62 that looking back makes us unfit for service in His kingdom. So, what does it mean to look back and why must we avoid looking back? 

In Luke 9:57-62 we see the response of two disciples after they receive their calling from Jesus. One said, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.” Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God.” Still another said, “I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say goodbye to my family.” Jesus replied, “No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.”. Because Jesus knew that His words are not just for those listening but also for those who will listen, I don’t think Jesus was directly rebuking them for going to bury the dead or for saying goodbye to family before embarking on a mission. Those where just the symptoms of a bigger problem; which is that of looking back. Remember Jesus sees the heart beyond our actions (Mathew 12:25).  

Looking back is prioritizing other things over God. It does not mean we don’t acknowledge Him; it means we know He is important, but He is not the most important in our lives. It is this lower priority that would cause us to procrastinate on the things of God and attempt to postpone His work to a later time when we are more comfortable. Not only is this idolatry for He said “You shall have no other gods before me” (Exodus 20: 3), but it is also dangerous because although you might be doing the work of God while having some other thing having equal or greater importance in your heart than God, sooner or later you will have to choose between that thing and God and since it is greater you will choose it. Now, take note, God is not wicked that He does not know or expect us to like the good things or people He gives us (which are like “gods” to us), but the requirement of God is that those things must be put below Him in our priority list. So beloved in Christ, don’t look back. God help us ! 

Prayer Point 

Let’s thank God for this word. Let’s pray for God to help us search our hearts and demote those things that are contesting His number one position. Not to forget that the created cannot take the place of the creator.