Matthew 19:29
And everyone who has left houses, brothers or sisters, father or mother, children, or fields because of My name will receive 100 times more and will inherit eternal life.
There are a lot of things God has never asked me to do for His sake. Just going off the above list, I can honestly say He’s never asked me to leave my husband, kids, brother or field (although I’ve never had a brother or a field, so I can see where His asking me to abandon such things would be kind of a weird request). But He did ask me to uproot my family, leave behind dear friends, and sell our home so that we could come be a part of His amazing work at Candeo. And I’m not going to lie to you, it has been incredibly difficult at times to follow in obedience and participation.
Whether anything in the specific list above applies to you directly, one thing is true for all believers: picking up our cross and following Jesus will always mean leaving behind some big things. Things we treasure, things that take everything in us to let go of. By its very nature, Jesus’ sacrifice asks us for responsive sacrifice.
But the beauty of the passage is that God promises we’re not giving up anything for nothing. When we keep our eyes focused on Jesus, the sacrifice of our calling turns into a true gift with everlasting value. What could we possibly have that is worth more than God Himself? What could we hold onto that would ever be for us more than He has been? What could we give up for Jesus that we could possibly regret in hindsight?
So here’s what I’m saying: God’s not necessarily asking you to give up your house or your community or your job to further His kingdom. Not everyone’s life will look like that, and that’s great, because otherwise we’d all just be a bunch of vagrants. But He’s not necessarily not asking, either.
Have you felt a pull to live more radically for Him in some way, but have suppressed it because "God couldn’t possibly be asking that" of you? Just going to shoot you straight here: He could possibly be asking that of you. Either way, there are plenty of ways to live more fully for Him right now where you’re at – are you participating in that as wholeheartedly and abundantly as you could be?
Heavenly Father, give us the strength and courage to hold onto the things of this life with a loose grip. Make us a church that lives in wild abandon for Your Kingdom, regardless of the calculated costs. Help us to realize that all good things come from You, and that the best gift of all, the gift of salvation through Your Son, has already been given. You are good, and You want good for us, and for that we are so thankful. Amen.
