No turning back

My dear youth in Christ. Glory be to God. Lord Jesus the Winner. Let He may be our only Hero, our Vision, our Guide and dear Father. I am always amazed by His enduring love on us. No matter where we go, how we are, or what we do, His enduring love sustains on us and flows on us new every day morning. As we move in our endless cycles of life: birth, childhood, youth, adult and old age and death……the Newtonian clock ticks forwards and even the endless cycles of life comes to an end one day ! But our dear Lord has kept a mission in our life : That only you can accomplish. For Him. If you fail or digress, not only you will fail to be truthful to Him , but also loose  some one else : may be one soul or  millions of them will fail to get redeemed in time as the Lord has wished it to be accomplished through you. You are already named and called to be His disciple even before you were born ! Even before the bones were formed in your mother’s womb.  The God who has called us is truthful. Are we truthful to Him ?

Many years ago, while I was working in a peripheral area of Bengaluru(Bangalore), I wanted to go to a particular location in the other end of the city. ( No google map those days and no mobile itself).  So I asked one of my customers, a localite for direction. He tried to enlighten me but  I would not pick up. Finally he lost his patience  and said: “ As the crow flies… !  Just flow through the traffic in that direction. You will reach the place. To my surprise and bewilderment, I could manage my way : meandering through the city roads .We follow this paradigm in our life on many occasions. But without a definite direction and planning we loose direction. Even with a definite goal setting, we back track at the slightest problem.  We loose the peace at home; challenges galore  in our work place  and finally fag end of life lot of remorse in our longings and failures for those things “which could have been mine”….

We all have the potential and energy overflowing in our youth and as children of God, I am sure all of you are having the passion to walk in His ways and do things in prayer as the Lord commands. Our parents, friends and pastors guide us in these. However, as we go through things, stumbling blocks appear. Distractions of worldly pleasures burden. Some times you feel that you have hit a road block and feel that it is the end of the road. So what do you do ? You look back and retract.

Jesus said  :

 ^“And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.”

 (Luke 9:62). 

This he said to a person who wanted say farewell to his parents before following Him.

A similar incident takes place, where a person wanted bury his dead father before following Jesus.

 ²² But Jesus said unto him, Follow me; and let the dead bury their dead.

 (Mathew 8: 22)

We see that all the disciples, when they were called for ministry by Jesus, just abandoned their positions as such and followed Him. And they were blessed and remained  true witness to God proclaiming the Gospel to millions around the world.

We read about so many faithful servants of God, who suffered so much in their lives, but yet remained truthful to God. End result : They all accomplished their mission that Lord Jesus had kept in their lives and won their names entered in the Book of Life.

My dear brothers and sisters, youth is  the most beautiful but sensitive phase of life which can decide our success or failure . The enemy (satan) is very crafty and would enter your lives deviously without your knowledge and divert you from righteous ways. The road to hell is very spacious and appears delightful, at first. The only way to move forward is to be at the feet of the Lord and be with God all the time.  For the steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord.

In the road to eternity, it would appear that you loose so many things and have gained nothing in the eyes of the world ! People may laugh at you and mock you for having chosen this path and having sustained in this without turning back. But what is the real truth ?

²⁹ And Jesus answered and said, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the gospel’s,

³⁰ But he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life.

(Mark 10: 29-30)

¹² And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.

¹³ I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.

¹⁴ Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.

(Revelation 22: 12-14)

Prayer : Dear God,

We praise You and adore You. We glorify Your name. You are Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. Please give us the strength to walk in Your ways and save us from turning back and  retracting or falling  in the trap of the enemy. Bless us and anoint us to walk in Your righteous ways.

We ask this in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

Amen.

God’s Love Missions Family