Commitment

Commitment

MY QUESTION for GOD

What is the cost of being committed to God?

A MOMENT with GOD

If you want to be my disciple, you must hate everyone else by comparison—your father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even your own life. Otherwise, you cannot be my disciple. And if you do not carry your own cross and follow me, you cannot be my disciple. But don’t begin until you count the cost. For who would begin construction of a building without first calculating the cost to see if there is enough money to finish it?

Luke 14:26-28

Is Jesus really telling us to turn our back on our family? Of course not! We can understand the apparent harshness of his words only when we grasp the nature of commitment. Jesus wants you to see that commitment is exclusive and costly. A person fully devoted to becoming a professional musician cannot also be fully dedicated to becoming a professional athlete without compromising his commitment to one profession or the other. In the same way, your commitment to Jesus must become the central and dominating commitment of your life; all other relationships and pursuits must be considered in light of your commitment to him. When you are fully committed to Jesus, you will make your financial decisions based on biblical principles instead of simply buying whatever you want. You may make sacrifices to help a needy family, even though it puts additional strain on your own family. Think about your commitment to God. Is it diluted by overcommitment to other people or activities? Evaluate each of your commitments by asking yourself, “Is this worthy of my time and energy in light of my complete commitment to Jesus?”

DIVINE PROMISE

If we are faithful to the end, . . . we will share in all that belongs to Christ.

Hebrews 3:14