Abraham was attentive to the care of his son Isaac. He chose a proper wife for his son by having his steward select a wife from his kinfolk, but he did not allow Isaac to travel "for any reason" (Gn 24:6) to the place where his kinfolk lived. Abraham knew that place might lead Isaac away from following the Lord, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac. Abraham's greatest priority was that his son Isaac and his future wife would serve God as he and Sarah served God. God always came first with Abraham.
Jesus tells us bluntly to not turn back (Lk 9:62). We all have places, people, and "things in our lives to which we cannot return"; they would influence us to turn away from God. As St. Paul warned: "My fear is that, just as the serpent seduced Eve by his cunning, your thoughts may be corrupted and you may fall away from your sincere and complete devotion to Christ" (2 Cor 11:3).
What is the place to which you can never go back? Most likely, you know exactly what that place is. If that place involves people who will tempt you to sin, keep in mind what St. Paul said: "Bad company corrupts good morals" (1 Cor 15:33). "Let your eyes look straight ahead and your glance be directly forward…Turn neither to right nor to left, keep your foot far from evil" (Prv 4:25, 27).
"Fix your eyes on Jesus" (Heb 3:1). "Let anyone who thinks he is standing upright watch out lest he fall!" (1 Cor 10:12)
| PRAYER: | Father, give me the strength to stay on the narrow road, not look back, and always walk in Your ways. |
| PROMISE: | "Happy are they who observe what is right, who do always what is just." –Ps 106:3 |
| PRAISE: | Don and Julie raised their children to live for the Lord. Now two of their sons are priests. |
Reprinted with permission from Presentation Ministries, a lay association of the Catholic Church that focuses on evangelization and discipleship through Bible teaching, daily Mass, the charisms of the Holy Spirit, and Small Christian Community. Their ministries include:
· One Bread, One Body
· Daily Bread Radio Program
· Annual Bible Institute
· Discipleship Retreats
· Guadalupe Bible College