Don't Look Back
Today's Scripture
"Abraham had faith and obeyed God. He was told to go to the land that God had said would be his, and he left for a country he had never seen. Because Abraham had faith, he lived as a stranger in the promised land. He lived there in a tent, and so did Isaac and Jacob, who were later given the same promise. Abraham did this, because he was waiting for the eternal city that God had planned and built." Hebrews 11:8-10 CEV
"No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us." Philippians 3:13-14 NLT
Thoughts for Today
God called Abraham to leave everything that was familiar to him and enter a world of the unknown. Abraham obeyed without hesitation. He set out, leaving relatives and friends, leaving the security of his home, leaving his culture and religion … and followed God. And he didn't look back. Abraham could have spent his days complaining or grieving over all he had left behind. He could have rebelled against being taken out of his comfort zone. But he didn't. Why? He believed God. He believed God's promises. And he set his eyes on "the eternal city that God had planned and built."
The apostle Paul knew God wasn't finished with him yet. He had made many mistakes in the past, but he forgot the past and looked forward to what lay ahead, pressing on to the eternal prize. He didn't look back.
Consider this …
Is God calling you out of your comfort zone? Or maybe you have already stepped out of your comfort zone but really want to do an "about face."
In every situation we need to fix our eyes on Jesus. If we look back and dwell on what was, we can't be effective in the here and now. We need to focus on what God is calling us to do today and press on to what he has promised us for tomorrow.
Prayer
Father, help me to put the past behind and focus on what you want me to do today. Help me to be willing to step out of my comfort zone and not look back. In Jesus' name …
These thoughts were drawn from …
Godly Heroes: A Small Group Study of Hebrews 11 by Jimmy Ray Lee, D.Min. This guide presents a step-by-step study of Hebrews 11. It also features the profile of the characteristics of Godly heroes, written in language that relates to today's living. In this guide you will find definitions, characteristics and examples of the heroes' faith life. Note: This curriculum was written especially for small groups, and we encourage people to use it that way. However, it can also be used effectively as a personal study for individuals or couples.
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