John 10:17-18
The cost of becoming Jesus disciple is clear. To be my disciple you must give up everything. Everything means everything. The cost of discipleship is both high and low at the same time. If we are to follow in the example of Jesus then this is what he modeled. He came to earth, giving up his rich and kingly identity in heaven. On earth, he proceeded to give up everything. Including his own life. We are to do the same in our hearts. We are first to weigh the choice as a builder does before building a house. If we choose to then build our hearts on the foundation of Jesus then we are to give up everything, laying everything at his feet, acknowledging Jesus and God are one and we want to follow Him. Jesus speaks of his authority in this regard. He lays down his life, and He has the authority to pick it back up. We do not have the same authority. When we choose to become His disciple we lay down everything at His feet, and then we wait for Him to tell us what to pick back up. We might have been over burdened and He might ask us to leave some things at His feet for now. He may ask us to pick up something new entirely that we couldn't have shouldered with our previous load. He may have us pick up the same things we were carrying before minus a few things that distracted from His intent. The goal in all this is to be guided and shepherded. Not because it makes us weak or frail, but because it is how we experience true strength when the enemy attacks.
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