Lenten Reader | Day 2

Follow

As they were walking along the road, a man said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.”
Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.”
He said to another man, “Follow me.”
But he 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 goodbye to my family.”

Jesus replied, “No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.”

-Luke 9:57-62
In today’s passage, Jesus has encountered some people along the road to Jerusalem. One told Jesus, “I’ll follow you wherever you go,” possibly without understanding what that would mean. Two others, when asked to follow Jesus said, “yes, I will follow you, but first let me go…” Once we accept God’s free gift of salvation and are born again into his kingdom, he calls us to follow him for the rest of our lives. The call is to give up, put off, and die to our old way of life and to follow him to new life into his kingdom; where love, joy, peace and true purpose are found.

Are there any “but firsts” in our willingness to follow Jesus’ way of life? For some, there may have been many “but firsts” before being committed to following Jesus. Others may not have had any, but later in their journey, may have been caught up in looking back at their old way of life. They also may have been consumed with that “busy thing” in life. “Oh, I’ve become so busy with my life lately, that I just don’t have time for Jesus.” In verse 62, Jesus said, and I paraphrase; “anyone looking back, once they start their journey, would not be fit for service in his Kingdom.” Ouch!

Have you been looking back? Are you too busy with self? Have you allowed anything to come before your relationship with Jesus? Take it from one who’s been there and done that, it “ain’t” good or pleasing to God or to yourself. If this is you today, don’t lose heart, God still loves you. But you must confess your sin to him, ask for his forgiveness, and quickly turn away from that path you’re on. He will forgive and restore you, just as he did for me a few years back. It’s my hope and prayer that all is well with your soul today and that you are faithfully following Jesus. God Bless!

-Joe King

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