PLEASE READ THIS FIRST: Matthew 8

What do you sense the Lord saying to you in this passage?

“Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.” (Matthew 8:19)
These two men seem very eager to follow Jesus, yet he discourages them.
Jesus isn’t refusing them as followers, but he is gently challenging them.
His line about ‘let the dead bury their own dead’ seems harsh.
When Jesus speaks to people, it is always personalized.
To the rich man Jesus says to sell everything… for a reason.
These are not generic requirements for all, but personal challenges.
How would Jesus personalize his response to me?
I have determined to follow Jesus wherever he leads… sort of.
If I am honest, I do not want to be homeless.
Nor do I want to abandon my family.
These are not goals or requirements, but they are possibilities.
My following Jesus could lead me to lose my job, or alienate my family.
We do not choose hardships, we choose Jesus.
But we need to be ready to know it could lead to such hardships.
PRAYER
Lord Jesus, I am a weak follower, I do not want to experience these hardships. But I still want to follow you. Give me the strength to persevere when it gets hard.