Daily Devotion for Lent - Day 24

Scripture Reading: Luke 14:25-35

This is not what Jesus was 
talking about with regards to discipleship!

Today's reading moves us past what reasonable people are willing to do.  If following Jesus meant losing your family, would you do it?

In Jesus' day and time, the family was the largest identifier of a person in society.  It gave you your social position in the community as well as your employment.  Loyalty to the family was highly prized and you may see yourself aligned against another family in the community.

Carrying the cross was a statement that meant you were willing to go against Roman rule.  This is a more revolutionary stance as plenty of wannabe Messiahs were crucified along with other rabble rousers.

Finally, Jesus mentions giving up one's material goods.  These would be the things that tie us down.  If you are going on the road, you won't need them.  You can basically take what you can easily carry with you.

Jesus seems to be asking us, "Are you all-in?"

Now that the movement of Jesus is an established religion, it has gone through many shake-ups, revivals, and reformations.  Some argue that we are in the midst of one right now.  

But for the established church, we offer grace to all but do not receive the same level of commitment from all.  What happens when we are called to give more of our time, our money, and our abilities? It may be that we go back to the beginning of the chapter (yesterday's reading) and begin to offer excuses.

As a pastor, my goal is to deepen the discipleship of the people called United Methodists.  I don't feel like we have lost our "saltiness" and that our unique understanding of prevenient, justifying and sanctifying grace is an important way for us to relate to God and one another.

I feel like there are many right now who are trying to cast doubts on our identity as United Methodists.  If someone starting a new thing has to tear down the old thing in order to form their own identity, it may be good to question the foundations of this new thing.

But for those seeking to remain, how can we begin to renew our commitment to our faith through our church?  What's preventing us from being "all-in"?

Prayer for the day:

God, help us to rest in you.  And help us to know that true rest comes from you.  For the things that wear on us, let us see them in their proper place.  For the things that bring us your peace, let them flourish in us and through us.  Help us renew our commitment to you.  We pray these things in the name of our Lord, Jesus Christ.  Amen.

Photo by Shavawn via Flickr.com.  Used under the Creative Commons license.