Today's thought:

Genesis 19:26, "But Lot's wife looked back, and she became a pillar of salt."

Have you ever listened to astronauts talking to NASA as they are taking off for outer space. There is a point before they are fully in outer space where you hear the phrase "negative return."

According to NASA's official website, "negative return" occurs when the space shuttle "is flying too far downrange and too high to return to the launch site in the event of an engine failure." It also means that, for the astronaut, they are now to the point where they are assured of making it into orbit—which is the whole point of the shuttle launch.

To follow Jesus starts by crossing the point of "negative return," letting go of the option to turn back, Burning your bridges. Whatever your landing site was—your identity, your sense of purpose—before you came to Jesus, you need to leave all possibility of returning behind.

Luke 9:62, "Jesus replied, "No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God."

No retreat, no looking back. Instead, Paul's advice, "But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus" (Phillipiams 3:13-14).

Forget what lies behind. Strain forward. Press on. Heaven waits in the balance.

Prayer: Father, what lies behind is gone. Only what lies ahead matters. Heaven is our goal and Jesus the means of our goal. We do not retreat. We do not turn back. We have burned our bridges and the only way to go is forward where our Savior has called us heavenward by His grace, mercy and love. We could sing of that love forever, and will. In Jesus, Amen!