The daily readings this week help us focus on aspects of our interrelationship with Jesus.
"As they were walking along the road, a man said to him, "I will follow you wherever you go." Jesus replied, "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head." He said to another man, "Follow me." But the man replied, "Lord, first let me go and bury my father." Jesus aid to him, "Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God." Still another said, "I will follow you, Lord, but first let me go back and say good-bye to my family. Jesus replied, "No-one who puts his hand to the plough and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God" Luke 9:57-62 [NIV]
Jesus calls us to follow him, to live our lives as He would want us to, to answer his call whenever, whatever...
In today's reading we see 2 men who respond with, 'First let me..' and 'but first let me..', and Jesus didn't seem to think too much of that!
When we first came into the realisation of our faith we might have thought that we would follow Jesus whenever, whatever...would we still now? How much would we (do we) place caveats or conditions on our discipleship? Is our response something like, 'I will follow as long as I don't have to give up doing...', or 'I will follow as long as I won't loose my home comforts...', or 'I will follow as long as I won't have to...'
Does following Jesus cost us anything at all? How much do we prioritise our own wants / desires / agenda before following Christ?
It is very easy to slip into 'comfortable' discipleship; but is that what Jesus calls us to?
Today, take time to reflect on your walk with Christ. Let the Spirit show you where your priorities might need to change. Lord, grow in each of us a greater desire to follow you whenever, whatever...
Amen
Mike Iredale
Read the Bible in a year: Psalm 41:1-6, Deuteronomy 1:1-2:37, Luke 9:57-10:24
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