My great grandfather would understand this passage. He was a farmer in North Carolina, and I helped to maintain many fields with him in my youthful summers. He would plow them first to break up fallow ground. One thing I learned about that experience: you cannot plow a straight row by looking back to see how well you’ve done. You have to focus on a point in the distance, and keep that focus as you push. There were Israelites in the great exodus who challenged Moses. They complained about how the wilderness was worse than Egypt, and yearned to go back (Ex.16:3ff as an example). They forgot that they were now free, and that God was leading them to the promised land. Moses didn’t forget. Keep your focus on following Jesus today, and don’t look back…
Lord we thank you for always focusing on my life eveyday. Help me to avoid distractions and keep walking in the row you are plowing for me, in Jesus name, AMEN
