“Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it? ” (Luke 14:27-28 ESV).
Jesus gave the example of counting the cost before building a tower to illustrate the importance of doing the same before making a decision to follow Him. It’s true that Jesus has paid for our salvation, so we may receive it freely by faith. Yet saying yes to so great a salvation, let us not forget to calculate the cost to our former life.
For if we are to be raised with Christ to new life, then we must be crucified with Him in His death. In other words, we must count ourselves dead to our former life in the flesh and be born again spiritually to God.
The one who thinks he can cling to his old life of sin and still call himself a Christ follower has not considered the cost of discipleship. For following Jesus means leaving the former life behind. The one who thinks otherwise, will turn away when Christ asks him to choose, thus proving that he was never a true follower to begin with.
But the one who has decided to take up his cross daily, the emblem of his death and dying to the flesh, is ready to follow Jesus wherever He leads. As the the martyred missionary Jim Elliot said, “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.”
PRAYER: Dear Father, we have put our yes on the table to You. Where You go we will go. Where You lead we will follow. Strengthen us by Your Spirit for the journey. And help us to travel light, setting our eyes on eternal things. In Jesus’ name, amen.