cost of following?

The cost of Following Christ seems so high. While we all want to receive what God offers, few of us long to Follow In what He requires. And somehow, in the dichotomy of thinking, we have divorced the idea of Following Christ from being a Christian. Another words, we want the grace without the obedience. We want to accept and not follow. We want what we want without the cost.
I know most of you would disagree and say that you are a Christian AND you are Following Christ. However, let me challenge you to look at the Followers of Christ in the Bible. Just take a few minutes and look at the lives of the Disciples, of Paul and the countless others that the Word calls Followers of Christ. And then look around and see how many people we see in our churches living like that. I am SO convicted when I look at the Word and measure my life against it. Haven't you ever looked at the Bible and then at the lives of American Christians and thought.....could we all have missed it-because what I see looks nothing like what is described in the Word? In fact, my heart aches as I look around and see that is in this Book is Nothing like what I see being lived out around me. And it has challenged me to take a fresh look at my life and begin to count the cost of being a Follower of Christ.... and to ask what does that REALLY look like. I am finding that I must REPENT-change the way I think about Following and the cost of it.
In fact, when we start talking about the cost of discipleship, the cost of following Christ-it just seems too high. Honestly, it just seems like what it will cost me and what I get...just doesn't measure up. After all, I can accept God's grace, live as I want-doing a few good things and coming to church along the way and still get into heaven, right? Is that why Christ died? So that we could live as we want, but still get in? Did He really die so that God could have a people that Followed Him with a half hearted commitment and mediocre love? So, why should I pay the price of Following Him in ALL, when I can still get in if I don't. I mean...He will forgive me of all my sins, if I confess? MAY IT NEVER BE. That is what Paul said. (Romans 6) What crazy thinking! The dichotomy of being a Christian and a Follower is NOT Biblical.
But we still think this way. The cost is too high. Let me give you an example of this thinking. We will spend thousands of dollars on vacation. We will rise early to work out or to go hunting. We will take days off work to enjoy our latest recreational activity. We will forgo time with our family for work. We will mark out time for relationships that we enjoy. But do we do ANY of these things in order to be a better Follower of Christ? Will we spend thousands on time away that will advance our Spiritual journey? Will we rise early to spend time in the Word, make it to a prayer or accountablity small group? Will we take days off of work to attend a conference that will point our hearts towards the throne? Will we forgo time with our families in order to see the Kingdom of God advance? Will we mark out days at a time to spend searching out the things of God? So, tell me again...what is it we value?
You see, maybe it isn't that the cost of discipleship is so high. Maybe it is that we don't value it enough. Maybe, it is that we value other things more highly and thus are willing to sacrifice for them. If we were offered a thousand dollars a verse to memorize Scripture, we would certainly start memorizing like crazy. All of us would TRY. But why does it take that kind of motivation to make us strive to place the Word inside of us? Could it be that we value money more than the Word. That we see the value in memorizing Scripture when we are being PAID for it? Our thought...."we are actually getting something out of it." But aren't we getting something out of it regardless?
The cost of Following is high. But the truth is, we aren't willing to pay it. And so the question begs....are you truly a follower if you aren't willing to pay the price it costs to be one?
A though crossed my desk this week that has sent me reeling into thought about these things.
"the cost of Following Christ is high. But isn't the cost of NOT Following higher?"
It may cost us to Follow Christ. It may cost us our family time, our rec time, our dreams, our vacations, money and much more. But what is the cost if we don't Follow Him? Isn't that cost higher than if we do?
Count the cost....your choices determine your future.ALL FOR YOU