Good morning and happy Tuesday! I have to say again, how the book of Matthew is filled with such rich stuff! Each few verses cause me to stop, ponder and be inspired. Chaper 8 verses 18-22 spoke to my heart as I read them today.

"Now when Jesus saw a crowd around Him, He gave orders to depart to the other side of the sea. Then a scribe came and said to Him, 'Teacher, I will follow You wherever You go.' Jesus said to him, 'The foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.' Another of the disciples said to Him, 'Lord, permit me first to go and bury my father.' But Jesus said to him, 'Follow Me, and allow the dead to bury their own dead.'"

My Bible's commentary says this about the above verses:
Following Jesus is not always easy or comfortable. Often it means great cost and sacrifice, with no earthly rewards or security. Jesus didn't have a place to call home. You may find that following Christ costs you popularity, friendships, leisure time, or treasured habits. But while the cost of following Christ is high, the value of being Christ's disciple is even higher. Discipleship is an investment that lasts for eternity and yields incredible rewards.
It is possible that this disciple was not asking permission to got to his father's funeral, but rather to put off following Jesus until his elderly father died. Perhaps he was the firstborn son and wanted to be sure to claim his inheritance. Perhaps he didn't want to face his father's wrath if he left the family business to follow an itinerant preacher. Whether his concern was financial security, family approval, or something else, he did not want to commit himself to Jesus just yet, Jesus, however, would not accept his excuse.

WOW! What conviction that brings. It makes me ponder - Am I truly willing to give up everything (including a place to lay my head) to follow Jesus?

Let me know your thoughts

Living fearlessly in Christ
Christie