FOLLOW JESUS

FOLLOW JESUS

As they were walking along, someone said to Jesus, “I will follow you wherever you go.” But Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens to live in, and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place even to lay his head.” He said to another person, “Come, follow me.” The man agreed, but he said, “Lord, first let me return home and bury my father.” But Jesus told him, “Let the spiritually dead bury their own dead!l Your duty is to go and preach about the Kingdom of God.” Another said, “Yes, Lord, I will follow you, but first let me say good-bye to my family.” But Jesus told him, “Anyone who puts a hand to the plow and then looks back is not fit for the Kingdom of God.” —Luke 9:57-62

What excuse are you using to not be and do what the Lord desires? In the above verses one man said he would follow Him wherever He went. Jesus challenged his thinking. Did he know what he was getting into? Jesus didn’t even have a place of His own to lay His head. Was the man willing to truly follow Jesus? He may not have a place of his own to lay his head.

Then there was another man Jesus told to follow Him, but the man said, Lord, first let me return home and bury my father.” Well, how long would that be until his father would die? The man was putting Jesus off. He had other things that were of a higher priority. Jesus said that his priority was to “go and preach about the kingdom of God.”

Another man said, “Yes, Lord, I will follow you, but first let me say good-bye to my family.” Again, this man did not put Jesus’ priorities as his priorities and Jesus said, “Anyone who puts a hand to the plow and then looks back is not fit for the Kingdom of God.” The song says, “No turning back, no turning back.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kdDahvVnAAk

Is there something that you see as a higher priority than following Jesus— being and doing what He desires? May you and I search our hearts to see if there is something we are holding on to as more important than following Jesus wherever He would have us go. May we also search our hearts to see what may be keeping us from being what He desires. May we do so.

Dear Father, may what You desire me to be and do be my top priorities. May this be so in the power of Your Holy Spirit and in the authority of Your Son, Jesus.