Day 2 | The Cost
Matthew 8:18-22
"When Jesus saw the crowd around him, he gave orders to cross to the other side of the lake. Then a teacher of the law came to him and said, 'Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.'
Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.”
Another disciple said to him, 'Lord, first let me go and bury my father.'
But Jesus told him, 'Follow me, and let the dead bury their own dead.'"
Words: Nikki Peck Published: 2 March 2024
Throughout Scripture, we see there is always a cost to following the Lord.
From Abraham sacrificing his son Isaac on the altar (Genesis 22:1-19), to the widow sacrificing two small copper coins (Luke 21:1-4), to the widow using all she had to bake bread for Elijah (1 Kings 17:7-16). There was the woman who sacrificed her alabaster jar full of expensive perfume (Matt 26:7), and then, most profoundly, Jesus making the ultimate sacrifice for us on the cross.
There is always a cost to following Jesus and being obedient to His voice. And we always have a choice as to whether we pay that cost. It is never forced upon us.
I suppose any loving and passionate relationships involve sacrifices on both sides. Husband/wife; parent/child; teacher/students; friend/friend; boss/worker; rabbi/follower – each person must make sacrifices in those relationships; it goes both ways.
So why would it not be the same in our relationships with Jesus?
Like we see here in Matthew 8:18-22, these followers of Jesus are invited to pay a cost to follow Him, whether that’s leaving the comfort of their homes or giving up even the good things in life for the urgency of God’s call.
So today, my question for you is this: like Abraham carried Isaac to the altar, willing to pay a cost to follow the voice of the Lord… what is God asking you to place on the altar today? What is something costly to give to the Lord in order to walk in obedience?
The cost for each of us is different.
Will you give it today?