Not Me, Not Yet, Not That

This morning at 614, General Eva preached on Luke 9:57-62. It's titled the cost of following Jesus.

"As they were walking along the road, a man said to him, "I will follow you wherever you go."
Jesus replied, "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head." He said to another man, "Follow me." But the man replied, "Lord, first let me go and bury my father." Jesus said to him, "Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God." Still another said, "I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say good-by to my family." Jesus replied, "No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God."

People come up with excuses not to follow God, or follow his call on their life. She the three guys in this passage could be summed up with "Not Me, Not Yet, Not That".... One didn't want to believe and follow, the next one didn't want to do it just yet, they wanted to procrastinate a little more, and the third one didn't want to do what God wanted him to do... he'd prefer something else.

It's a lot like that for us isn't it. When God lays something on our heart, or a call on our lives, we often answer with one of those three answers. I know I sure have, and usually in that progression. First was the stage of denial... The "God, are you sure you want me for that?!"... closely followed by "not THAT!".... and then "not yet God!"..

But I realised (again) today that nothing can stop be following God. There is no excuse good enough to deny doing Gods will. Nothing will be accepted. The only answer that will be accepted is "Yes God, have your way".

And why wouldn't that be the answer I want to give? No sacrifice that I am going to have to make will ever compare to the sacrifices that Jesus has made for me. God sent his one and only son to die on this earth for me, and I complain about doing Gods will because it might be a little uncomfortable?.. because i'm scared i'm not going to be good enough, because I'm going to have to deny myself?.. Seriously.. how arrogant of me?!!! Gosh!

I'm sure i'm not the only one in this world who thinks this way.... do you? Do you make excuses so you don't have to do what you KNOW God has called you to do? Do you put up a wall, hoping God won't get through. Do you say... just wait a little while God, i have a few things to do first?

If Jesus had waited?... would we be where we are today?

For Him Alone

Ness :-)