(Catching up)

Genesis 27-28 Matthew 8:18-34

Then a teacher of the law came to Jesus and said, “Teacher, I will follow you any place you go.” (Matthew 8:19 NCV)

It seemed like a natural thing to say when the teacher of the law told Jesus that he would follow Him wherever He went. Jesus spoke to the man’s heart when He told this teacher that the luxuries he might be used to wouldn’t be there. In fact, finding a place to sleep would be a bit of an adventure. Teachers of the law were honored by the Jewish people and those who were established, as this one seems to have been, had it pretty nice. Jesus challenged him by noting that the teacher wouldn’t know from day to day where he’d be sleeping. The next man asked what seemed to be a natural question: can I bury my father first? We see that and have a hard time imagining how callous the response of Jesus was when He told that man, bluntly, “no.” Given the culture, though, the best understanding was that his father was still living. This would-be disciple was asking Jesus to wait for him, and when his father died, he’d be willing to follow. Jesus let him know that if he really wanted to follow, he had to do it now.

The message of Jesus is clear. When you follow Him, you not only give up luxuries, you may even be giving up things that you think are necessary for life. He may lead you to a place where you need to search for a place to sleep each day. You may be called to go to areas of the world that don’t have all the amenities you’re accustomed to. Are you still willing to follow Him? Without making Him wait? I’ve heard people explain that when the situation is right, or when the situation gets better, then they’ll walk with God. The truth is, there is no convenient time to start following Jesus, there’s only the right time – and that right time is now. When you recognize the call of God to follow, don’t delay, just follow.

Lord, give me the heart to follow You wherever You may lead. Remind me to be willing to drop everything and follow You, even when it’s inconvenient.