Are you willing to do anything?
40 Days with Jesus – October 27th – Luke 9:18-27
Are there moments in your life that you would consider defining moments? These are the times you will look back on and say, “That situation, decision, or experience changed my future forever.”
I remember having one of those moments last year. I’ve always thought I was fully surrendered to the ministry but realized there were things in my life I was not willing to give up; mainly my own comfort. I realized I was not willing to go where God said go, I was not willing to fully embrace the calling of a pastor, and I was not willing to make the required sacrifices.
It was this exact time last year when I wrote in my journal, “I’m afraid sometimes of my own comfort; that it might allow me to miss out on all that God has in store for me.”
This was a defining moment for me. I had a realization
that I might miss God using my life for the kingdom, because I was holding on to my comforts rather than embracing the call of Jesus. I decided that I’m not going to hold on to anything that might keep me from missing Jesus using my life for something great. It was in this defining moment, I read and preached today’s devotional text, Luke 9:23-27:
And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself? For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words, of him will the Son of Man be ashamed when he comes in his glory and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels. But I tell you truly, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God.”
It was this text that God used to break me of holding on to my comfort. It was a defining moment in the discipleship process for me. I realized that discipleship is costly but always rewarding.
We serve a God who has such a great love for his people, that it demands we surrender our all to Him. I love the lyrics from hymn writer, Isaac Watts, who wrote the words, “Love so amazing, so divine, demands my soul, my life, my all.”
Sometimes Jesus’ call on your life will be hard to embrace, but his grace is sufficient. When you have a defining moment like this, remember that whatever Jesus is calling you to do will be far greater than whatever it is you are trying to hold on to.
Boyd Bettis
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