Luke 14:33
So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.

Sometimes we get so comfortable in our lives that we’re not willing to let go of that for Jesus’ sake.  He told the story of invited guests who made excuses not to attend the great feast because other things were more important to them.  We deem other relationships more important.  We’re not willing to put our lives on the line.  We’re not willing to go all the way or do whatever is necessary for His sake.  We say that we are devoted to Jesus.  We say that we want to follow Him with our whole life.  But then when He calls us to go, are we still sitting there clinging to what we have?

Perhaps we like to think that it won’t, or shouldn’t, cost us anything to be a disciple of Jesus Christ.  We may like to think we don’t have to put anything into it.  Salvation is a free gift, and we could never earn it ourselves.  We don’t work to gain our salvation, but after we have received it, we have a decision to make about how we spend our lives.  Jesus tells us to do a lot of things for Him and for His kingdom’s sake.  He calls us to a way of life that disregards self and places a higher priority on Him.

But how do we live that way?  Mostly it’s about obedience to what He has called us to.  When He says, “Follow Me,” He has a path in mind for us to take.  He has specific things for us to do.  The disciples didn’t agree to follow Jesus and then go back home and try to live out their calling on their own.  They gave up all they had to follow Him and were totally invested in that work, that cause, and that purpose.  Likewise for us, it must be Jesus who we are supremely devoted to.  Nothing else in our lives should take precedence over Him.

Really, it’s just about cultivating a lighter hold on the things of this world, even if they are good things we have in our lives.  We decide what kind of follower we will be.  It will cost us something to go all in for Jesus, to dedicate our lives in service to Him.  It may be that relationships have to change.  It may be a particular burden we have to bear.  It may be something valuable we have to leave behind.  So will we go away sorrowing, making excuses, with other priorities?  Or will we rejoice to let go of whatever we must for our Savior’s sake?