A Full Pool and a Farmer’s Plow (Luke 9:62)

This morning, the pool was more than full. I started swimming around 5:30 and stopped shortly before 8:00—during that time, including me, at least 15 people used the three lanes in that lap pool. During one 30 minute stretch, there were 6 of us in there, 2 per lane. It’s difficult to swim when the pool is so full—you have to watch each stroke carefully—If you don’t, you’ll bump the lane lines (and that smarts!) or hit the person swimming next to you. While it’s hard to swim in a full pool, it’s a much better workout than if the pool is empty—my time was much better this morning, and I burned more calories than normal.

But it’s not going to last. It’s still just the second week of the new year, and some folks are still keeping their resolutions. It happens every year at the gym—the first two or three weeks of January are a nightmare because there are so many people, but by the end of the month, the crowd has gone back to normal. People determine to get in shape in the new year, but they just don’t keep with it.

There are a host of people who treat Jesus the same way. They make the greatest resolution of all—to follow Jesus, but they don’t stick with it. How many people have you seen come and go in this congregation? How many of you have family members who have wandered from the faith? How many of you wandered from the faith yourselves and thankfully came back to the Lord?

Jesus spoke about those who come to him and leave: “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God” (Lk 9:62). If you’re plowing in the field, you need to keep your eyes on what’s in front of you; if you start looking back, you’re going to veer off course and make a mess of things. You further know the necessity of remaining faithful to Jesus.

• God said, “My righteous one shall live by faith, and if he shrinks back, my soul has no pleasure in him” (Heb 10:38).
• “The dog returns to its own vomit, and the sow, after washing herself, returns to wallow in the mire” (2 Pet 2:22).

But why do you need to remain faithful? You know you must remain faithful to be saved, for it’s very possible to fall out of grace: “You are severed from Christ, you who would be justified by the law; you have fallen away from grace” (Gal 5:4). But there is a much more fundamental reason you need to be faithful to God—God is faithful to you.

God is so very faithful:

• “Know . . . that the LORD your God is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, to a thousand generations” (Deut 7:9).
• “Your steadfast love, O LORD, extends to the heavens, your faithfulness to the clouds” (Ps 36:5).
• “Let those who suffer according to God’s will entrust their souls to a faithful Creator while doing good” (1 Pet 4:19).

Just think about the great faithfulness of God. He keeps his every promise. He forgives your every sin. He answers every prayer according to his will. He blesses us with food and plenty. He gives more spiritual blessings than we can name. He walks with us in every trial. He has a home prepared for us when this world is no more.

Why would you not want to continue to be faithful to a God who is so faithful to you?

As I was leaving the gym, one of the guys I know came up to me and said, “Keep on serving Jesus.” That’s what we each need to do. We dare not be like the farmer who turns back while plowing; we dare not be like the out-of-shape person who resolves to tackle his health in the new year. Rather, we need to be faithful to God, for he is faithful to us.

This devotional was originally presented by Dr. Justin Imel, Sr., at Church of Christ Deer Park in Deer Park, Texas.