Flowery beds of ease?

Reflecting on Luke 9:57-62

"I will follow you wherever you go." (Luke 9:57)

These words remind me of two songs I struggle to sing.
‘I Surrender All’ and ‘I Have Decided to Follow Jesus’.
The ideas behind these songs are good.
But do they reflect the reality of my heart?
I am not being critical of this disciple who comes to Jesus.
But does he know what he is saying?
Do we know what we are singing when we sing these songs?

Jesus goes to some scary and difficult places.
Am I prepared to go anywhere, wherever Jesus goes?
The front-lines of the the Ukraine/Russian war?
The mosques of Taliban-controlled Afghanistan?
These are places, but Jesus also takes difficult stands.
He eats with the traitors (tax collectors) in their homes.
He hangs out with sexual sinners (prostitutes), and is touched by them.
This ‘wherever you go’ involves many places Christians normally avoid.

Jesus does not refuse any of these would-be followers.
But he does offer them a reality check.
Following me is not a ticket to heaven, or comfort, or ease.
The life I live is not easy, because it goes against our natural desire.
It is uncomfortable to be with and to follow Jesus.
The life of following Jesus is not a life of pillows and duvets.

[From the hymn, ‘Am I A Soldier of the Cross’]
Must I be carried to the skies
On flowery beds of ease,
While others fought to win the prize
And sailed through bloody seas?

I do not see Jesus as being critical of these disciples.
He knows His own disciples do not get the life of a Jesus follower.
Think about the bold claim of Peter:
“Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you.” (Mark 14:31)
Never is a long time, and wherever is a big place.
Tomorrow I will look at the specific responses of Jesus.
For now I want to make the point that Jesus says these things in love.

Jesus gently lays out the facts: following Me is not easy.
It is not that Jesus likes it hard; He is not eager to suffer.
But following the way of love in a loveless world will be challenged.
Loving God and people the way Jesus did makes both friends and enemies.
And the Enemy stirs up the enemies against anyone who tries.

As someone who has decided to follow Jesus, I find His words comforting.
He is not refusing me, but He is letting me know what to expect.
He knows I will struggle, and that I will feel the pull of loved ones.
He knows that I will often look back, and be hindered in my following.
This was true for all the disciples; yet He called and welcomed them.
Jesus calls and welcomes me too, despite my own struggles.

The conviction for me in this is not that following Jesus will be hard.
It is that my experience of it has NOT been hard.
And this makes me wonder why, and whether I am following Jesus.
If I loved liked Jesus loved, would I suffer or be crucified to?

“If the head of the house has been called Beelzebul, how much more the members of his household!” (Matthew 10:25)

Jesus still calls me to follow Him, and welcomes me in my struggle.
He is not refusing me because of my weakness, but He is cautioning me.
The Way of Love will not be comfortable, be prepared.
Thankfully it is the Way of Love, and God’s Love wins in the end.
The way is narrow and hard, but it is not a dead end.
Jesus continues to compel me to choose words and actions of love.
Be patient, be kind, be gentle, be generous, be forgiving, be helpful.
No it will not be easy, but it will be good.
And in time this seed, which for a time is buried, will produce a harvest.

“A man reaps what he sows. Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” (Galatians 6:7-9)

PRAYER
Lord Jesus, must I be carried to the skies on flowery beds of ease, while others fought to win the prize and sailed through bloody seas? Since I must fight if I would reign, increase my courage, Lord! I’ll (try to) bear the toil, (and try to) endure the pain, supported by Your word.