When Jesus lays out the demands and expectations of discipleship, he calls the crowd along with the Twelve and therefore opens it to anyone willing to accept His conditions. We can miss the point here if we think that somehow Jesus is inviting us to enter into a contract with Him. How often is it that we find ourselves arguing with Jesus about the “terms” of the relationship. It’s as though we act out of contract rather than relationship with Him. After all, His terms are “follow Me!” And therein lies the rub. I want to lead rather than follow. I want to choose the way I want to go instead of following His path for me. He may take me into regions I’d rather not go.
Lord, I want to follow You. Forgive me for reducing my relationship with You to a mere contract and forgetting that in following You, I am not asked to do so alone and out of my meager resources. You have given me Your Holy Spirit to teach me, guide me, empower me, convict me, gift me, and remind me of Your great love for me. You have given me Your Word, revealing truth and light into my thoughts and heart. And You have given to me fellow followers to encourage me and me them.
I find my life in yielding it to You!