So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple. – Luke 14:33. (For context, please study Luke 14:25-33)
Jesus in our reference scripture says that if we try to follow him without first counting the cost, we will be like a builder who starts a tower but does not finish. He also likens it to a king going to war with 10,000 warriors against an army of 20,000 warriors. He says a smart king in that situation would surrender before dying without cause. He then ends by saying that if we do not renounce what we have we cannot follow him.
What does this all mean?
This means that the things we own can actually own us, and stop us from following God wholeheartedly.
Jesus says we could start, but if we don’t give up our entitlement to what we have, it will stop us from having what we need to finish. It’s almost like we are trading earthly building materials for spiritual building materials!
I trade my job, my preference, my dreams, longings, talents, money, clothes, for His spiritual materials: a broken spirit and a contrite heart. The bible says in Psalm 51:17 that this is the only sacrifice God requires from us.
So, take a moment to reflect before God today. If you are reading this, it is because of God’s mercy. He is giving you an opportunity to repent, to see if you have counted the cost of following Him, so that you can fully enjoy the work He is doing in your life.
He wants your whole heart, so you can truly experience His!
PRAYER: God, thank you for your Word. Please search me, and know me. Have I truly counted the cost of following you? Have I forsaken all? If there is anything lacking in my surrender, please reveal it to me and give me the strength to trust you, to believe that your reward is better than whatever I can gain on earth. I pray this in Jesus name, Amen.