PLEASE READ THIS FIRST: Matthew 8:18-22
What do you sense the Lord saying to you in this passage?
“The Son of Man has no place to lay his head.” (Matthew 8:20)
“Let the dead bury their own dead.” (Matthew 8:22)
I’ve noticed that Jesus gives unique answers to different people’s questions.
How Jesus answers the teacher of the law, and this other disciple, is different.
Jesus is not saying that his followers should not have homes or beds.
Nor is he saying his followers are not allowed to bury the dead.
His answers are personalized, not generalized.
He senses something in the person asking, and answers them accordingly.
Jesus sensed that this teacher of the law had issues with personal comfort.
And he sensed that this other disciple had some priority and devotion issues.
Jesus knows us, he knows our hearts and priorities and motives and weaknesses.
He knows where we need to be challenged, and is probing our heart for the truth.
His answer may not be what we want to hear, but with Jesus it is what we need.
He is pruning and preparing us, to help us become who God made and saved us to be.
He is not our butler, doing what we ask; he is our Saviour, doing what we need!
PRAYER
Lord, through your words my own devotion and priorities are being probed. Help me to be honest about my own heart, so that I get the help I need!
“Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.” Really? Like the parable of the invited guest to the wedding banquet – we easily make excuses> Jesus make the point pretty dramatically, and I’m sure a lot of people would have felt it that way, that let the dead bury the dead – what’s important follow me. In other words get your priorities right – let nothing stand in the way. So what’s wrong with burying the dead while following Jesus? Can it be both and and not either or. Yes – but sometimes it needs to be either or. I must be ready for that if Jesus calls me to something that I requires I carry out the one but not the other. In other words, in all that I do, Jesus must be pre-eminent. Lord, help me to discern and be ready to go when you want me to go – and wherever I go, you go with me!
Follow Him.
To follow Jesus takes the priority. He is to be first in all things. Nothing can stand in the way of putting Christ first. That is the cost of following Him. Nothing should keep me from following Him.
Jesus, all for Jesus
All I am and have and ever hope to be
Jesus, all for Jesus
All I am and have and ever hope to be
All of my ambitions, hopes and plans
I surrender these into Your hands
All of my ambitions, hopes and plans
I surrender these into Your hands
For it’s only in Your will that I am free
For it’s only in Your will that I am free
Jesus, all for Jesus
All I am and have and ever hope to be