Written by Angela at stilettosandgrace.com.
There's a passage in Luke 9 where three different people want to follow Jesus.Now, I've always thought Jesus' response was a bit harsh.
I mean, Jesus, they want to follow You... they just want to say goodbye to friends and family first... or bury their dead father.
I mean, that's reasonable, right?
Why were You so abrupt with them?
But, the thing is, how many of us have stuff we want to take care of first and then we'll follow Jesus?
Or, how many of us want to follow Jesus, but when the going gets tough...
(Jesus never promised safety, He promised freedom. He never promised comfort, in fact, He said things would get quite uncomfortable when we stand as a voice of Truth.)
...we decide we don't really want to be in for the long haul as much as we thought.
But, in the long haul is where the blessing is.
In the long haul is where the full life comes from.
We don't want to face persecution, so we bow out of standing up for Christ...
and then wonder why our life lacks fullness... lacks vision...
lacks adventure.
"The foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests,
but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head."
Luke 9:58
Man, Jesus. Why are You sounding so reality-check to this guy who wants to follow You?
Oh, because we need a reality check. Because You're not going to lead us to believe that it's all roses and rainbows...
following You means that we won't always be welcome where we'd like to be welcome.
We say, "I'm just going to take care of these family issues, and then I'll follow You, Jesus."
("Lord, permit me first to go and bury my father." Luke 9:59)
"I'm just going to go say goodbye to a few people, and then I'll follow You, Jesus."
("I will follow You, Lord; but first permit me to say good-bye to those at home." Luke 9:61)
Really?
What are we waiting for?
We always have excuses... even ones that seem valid.
But, the thing is, there's nothing we need to do before we follow Him... we just follow Him... as we are.
It's not about doing this or doing that or being this or being that.
It's not about rules or religious acts or "setting things right."
It's simply about having a relationship with Him.
"Just let me do __________, and then I'll follow You, Jesus.""Just let me take care of...
"Just let me hang out one last time with...
"Just let me finish...
and then..."
"But as for you, go and proclaim everywhere the Kingdom of God."
Luke 9:60
What are you waiting for?
What are you thinking you need to do/finish/wrap-up before you commit your life to the only One who can bring you fullness of life?
What's your _________?
It starts now. Right where you are. Not after you do __________.
Jesus wasn't being harsh, He was saying that we don't need to go tend to these other things before we follow Him.
We just need to follow Him.
Drop everything and follow Him.
"He who has lost his life for My sake will find it."
Matthew 10:39
maybe you should just lay down your life, right where it's at, and follow the One who brings life.
"I have come that you might have life, and life to the full."
John 10:10
[Borrowed with permission]
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