All In

“ … those of you who do not give up everything you have cannot be my disciples.” Luke 14:33 (NIV)

Luke chapter 14 begins with Jesus having a Sabbath meal as a guest at a Pharisee’s house, where He is closely watched. He heals a suffering man and shares several parables about God’s design contrary to typical behavior—namely, humility in place of pride and generosity to the poor.

His final parable pointedly describes a man giving a great banquet and the guests making excuses as to why they cannot attend. In the end, he tells his servants to bring the poor, crippled, blind, and lame to enjoy the feast that the others will never enjoy.

The chapter finishes with the costs of being a disciple. Verse 33 above sums it up – we can only be disciples if we give up everything else. These are Jesus’ words – not someone else. Earlier in Luke 14, He says we must be willing to take up the Cross if we are going to be His disciples.

This is very convicting. Our Lord is drawing a line in the sand. In essence, He is saying, “You are for me or against me.” There is no middle ground.

And yet, all of us know that in the course of our days, there are moments when our behavior and attitude do not reflect God’s love or direction. We act selfishly. We sin. We revisit old habits.

How can we, as believers, live up to what Jesus demands – to carry the cross and give up everything?

In God’s divine wisdom, He gives us a process – confession, repentance, redemption, and restoration.

The Lord God knows He puts a high demand on us. His expectations are great because He is confident we can fulfill all He has for us if we are willing to turn away from temptations and distractions that detract from the true purpose He has for us.

Prayer:
Jesus, we want to give it all to You. We are all in. Your way is the only way. We know You will continue to guide us. We thank You for Your presence in our lives. You are always there no matter what the circumstances. We commit to praying more, reading Your Word like never before, and spending time with our brothers and sisters to build up each other’s faith. Amen

God bless you! The Lord is with us. The Lord is with you.