“In the same way, those of you who do not give up everything you have cannot be my disciples.”
Luke 14:33 NIV
Sometimes it seems people rush to get others (perhaps children, in particular) “saved” without taking time to allow them to consider the cost of following Christ. And these verses in Luke 14 are often not mentioned when baptism is being discussed. The focus is instead on Jesus’ love, forgiveness, and blessings.
But Jesus lays it out here quite clearly: You want to follow Him? Yes. Amen. Follow Jesus. But know that could mean leaving some things and some people—maybe even everything—behind. It’s not that Jesus wants your couch. He doesn’t need your stuff. He just needs you to be able to leave it behind. Jesus wants you to be willing to give up anything that is getting between you and the life of abundance He wants to give you. He wants you to have a life full of healthy relationships with people who want to encourage and love one another. And that means you may have to leave some people or some stuff behind if people or stuff is standing in your way. Abiding in Jesus could be the most expensive thing you ever choose to do—but it’s worth it all.
Lord, help me know what I need to give up. Amen.
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Today’s reading was adapted from Daily Wisdom for Women: 2018 Devotional Collection with permission from Barbour Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved. Reading was written by Marian Leslie.