THE BREAD BASKET

In Australia, kangaroos and emus are a dime a dozen! Although ungraceful and clumsy, an adult kangaroo can clear nearly thirty feet in one bound, and also can attain a speed of more than thirty miles per hour. Large male kangaroos travel in groups under the leadership of the biggest among them. These "boomers" dominate younger rivals by biting, kicking and boxing. Emus can attain heights of up to five feet and can weigh upwards of a hundred pounds. They are stout bodied, long legged and, like kangaroos, can travel at speeds up to thirty miles an hour. But emus are flightless! If cornered, feisty emus fiercely kick their foes with three toed feet.

But despite kangaroos' ungracefulness and clumsiness, and despite emus flightlessness and feistiness, both have been elevated to the position of Australia's national animal and bird, respectively. What strange choices! However, there's a reason the kangaroo and emu were chosen for this distinguished national honor-neither can back up! For the kangaroo and the emu, their only direction is forward!

When we recently experienced the transition from December 31, 1999 to January 1, 2000, what was ushered in (all in the same breath!) were a new hour, a new day, a new month, a new decade, a new century, and a new millennium! As we think about the newness of these times, there is the temptation to fear that which we've never experienced before. Like the Israelites, some of us may long to return to the safety of Egypt! But our Commander in Chief says, Forward! "No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back," said Jesus, "is fit for service in the kingdom of God" (Luke 9:62).

The Christian life needs to be a forward experience. Focusing our eyes on Jesus, we must count the cost of our discipleship and be willing to abandon everything else that has given us security in the past. If the only direction for kangaroos and emus is forward, then why should we try any other direction?