Wednesday, March 1, 2017

Morning Moments with God, Day 33


                             Image result for Book of Matthew

Day 33: The Cost of Following Jesus

Please read the Bible verse for today:
Matthew 8: 18-22

The Cost of Following Jesus

18 When Jesus saw the crowd around him, he gave orders to cross to the other side of the lake. 19 Then a teacher of the law came to him and said, “Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.”
20 Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.”
21 Another disciple said to him, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.”
22 But Jesus told him, “Follow me, and let the dead bury their own dead.”

Yesterday we read in chapter 8:16 that Jesus, " healed all the sick." Word must have gotten out that Jesus was creating miracles for people, and so naturally a crowd surrounded Him. I know I certainly would have been there following Him, listening to Him and wanting to just be near Him. 

The crowd must have been too much, and His work was done, that He went to the other side of the lake. What He finds on the other side of the lake is very different than where He just came from. On one side the people were gathering around Jesus and wanted more, but when He set sail to the other side He didn't find too many that were truly anxious to follow Him. Jesus tells them plainly, "Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head," and "...let the dead bury their own dead." Jesus is telling them that to follow Him means sacrifice. It means not having a roof over your head each night. It means not being able to be concerned about the things of this world, like burying the dead. It means possibly sacrificing all the things that are important to you to follow Him.

To follow Jesus today still holds sacrifice. I remember when I first asked Jesus into my heart, back in 1987, I felt the Lord tell me to get rid of my record and tape collection. I had been into heavy metal bands and the lyrics were perverted. I had many memories attached to the songs and albums. It wasn't easy, but I threw them all out. I also remember when I felt convicted about my bad language- yikes! That was such a habit! I surrendered my tongue to the Lord. I've surrendered my family too.

Pray with me:
Father God, I thank you for calling me to follow you more closely. Show me what is in the way, show me the things that keep me from knowing you more and I will surrender it. Help me let go of the things of this world and follow you with all my heart. I love you. In Jesus' name, Amen. 

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