“Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear.”
Luke 14:35
In this passage (Luke 14:25-33) Jesus teaches us about the cost of discipleship. He speaks of hating our lives, a metaphor to explain that we must want a connection to God more than any earthly thing. He tells us that like building or going to war, we must consider the cost of our effort.
Jesus wants us to join His work with an understanding that it will cost us. You can’t follow Jesus and continue to do the things you did before you knew Him. There are practices, things and even relationships that must be given up in order to be a disciple of Christ.
Most of all, Jesus wants us to think before we say yes. If we follow Him without knowing the changes this will cause, we may become disappointed and fall away. He wants us to hear and understand what we are committing to – an eternal promise that we can count on, but also responsibility we must accept and a price to pay.
Gracious God, we are all Your children, but often rebellious and ungrateful, unwilling to do what is needed to obey Your will. Help us to be loving and obedient, aware of our gifts and our responsibility in Your kingdom. Amen.