Daily Devotional for Saturday, February 14

Hardship Prohibited a Potential Disciple

“And it came to pass, that, as they went in the way, a certain man said unto him, Lord, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest,” Luke 9:57.

Following Christ requires total commitment. I love the illustration that demonstrates the difference between involvement and total commitment by looking at a plate of ham and eggs. The hen that supplied the eggs was involved. The pig that supplied the ham, he was totally committed! An article in the Good News Broadcaster related, “A missionary society wrote to David Livingstone and asked, ‘Have you found a good road to where you are? If so, we want to know how to send other men to join you.’ Livingstone wrote back, ‘If you have men who will come only if they know there is a good road, I don’t want them. I want men who will come if there is no road at all.’”

            Jesus was seeking serious followers. He could tell the difference in the shallow professors and the truly committed. Following Jesus is something that “says” easy but “does” hard. Jesus cautioned the man in today’s reading that true discipleship takes you down the path of hardship. A follower of Jesus must count the cost, “Then said Jesus unto his disciples, if any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me” (Matthew 16:24). The Jews were familiar with the sight of a condemned man being led out of the city, bearing his cross, never to return. When following Jesus, there is no turning back.

            Often when I bump into a person who I have not seen for a long time, they will ask me the question, “Are you still preaching?” What they are really asking is, have I turned back? Did I count the cost? Have I grown tired and quit? I just smile and answer politely, “Yes, I’m still preaching, by the grace of God.”

CONSIDER THIS

Is Jesus your life or just part of your life? He requires the former and will not accept the latter.

John Nations