11-21-23-ENG.

"Forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal. "

Philippians 3:13-14 
WAIT 'TIL THE PARTY'S OVER.

Read It: Luke 9:61-62
The third would-be disciple on the road to Jerusalem must have heard the other two men's exchanges with Jesus, because he stated his request right up front. Again, saying goodbye to the family doesn't seem like an unreasonable able request. But let's look at it in its cultural context. When this guy said he wanted to go home and say goodbye, he wasn't saying, `Jesus, give me an hour or so to go home, pack my suitcase, and say goodbye. Stay here, and I'll be right back." No, he was saying, "I want to go home and throw a goodbye party for my family and friends. You know how long these things last, Jesus. Give me about two weeks, and I'll catch up with You when the party's over. Just leave me Your forwarding address." I had the opportunity to see this kind of celebration firsthand when I went to Guyana, the home country of my wife Lois. We went to an East Indian wedding. Now weddings here in America are usually over the same day they start. Not in Guyana. When those folk come together to celebrate, brate, they celebrate.

This party went on for over a week. They just grabbed a couple of hours of sleep, got up, and kept on jamming. Well, that's exactly what this man wanted to do. But Jesus knew the problem with that. Verse 62 is a rough one because Jesus allowed no exceptions. Anyone who grabs a plow on His property had better be ready to keep his eyes front and center and lay down a straight furrow. Any farmer can tell you that if you turn around and look back while you're plowing, you'll lose your sense of direction and start going crooked. So Jesus is saying, "Once you make the decision to follow Me, start following immediately. Don't delay your commitment. You can't have one hand on the cross and one hand back at home. You've got to make that decision." You can't serve Jesus while looking behind you and reaching back for the stuff you left behind. How long has it been since you checked your furrows? Think About It If you're going to plow a straight furrow for Jesus, you need to check the position of your eyes and your hands.