“He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me.” (Matthew 10:38 NKJV)
Over the past several weeks we have looked at what it means to:
- let go of the past (parental teaching/religion) if it isn’t according to God’s truth
- look to the future by helping your children to seek God first and foremost in their lives
- deny your own self and be fully committed to obeying God, willing to make any changes needed to be right in His sight
- take up your cross by committing yourself so wholly to following Jesus that you do not return to your former life (ideas, notions, practices, etc.)
If you are content to simply know what you have always known, do what you’ve always done; if you are willing to surrender your leadership to your children’s wishes, wants, and desires without regard for where their wants may lead them, if you are unwilling to deny even yourself (your own self-centered wants, wishes, and desires) nor commit yourself wholly to following Jesus for life, then Jesus says that you are not worthy of Him. If you are doing these things you aren’t following Jesus – you aren’t even on His pathway – you’re creating your own (Romans 10:2-3) and man-made pathways will never get you to heaven (Proverbs 14:12, 16:25, Matthew 7:21-23).
Instead, let us have a disposition like Paul, who willingly submitted to God’s truth when He heard it, and followed Jesus’ path:
“I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.” (Galatians 2:20 NKJV)
Paul took up his cross, died to selfish interests and pursuits, and used his time and ability to magnify Christ in all he did. He declared God’s greatness, he spoke the gospel Truth and he lived by it! When we read some of Paul’s epistles (consider Philippians) we quickly come to realize the joy he truly felt, even though in prison, even though nearing physical death; Paul was overjoyed in following Christ and being faithful to God and obedient to His commands. That is why he kept telling others about Jesus, no matter where he found himself!
We can do what Paul did! He encouraged us all to do just that when he wrote “Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ” (1 Corinthians 11:1).
Are you ready and willing to trust God enough to let go and follow Jesus? Are you ready to let conviction win over convenience? Are you prepared to love your children enough to love Jesus more? To guide them by example to always seek first the kingdom of God (Matthew 6:33)? Are you pleased to put God ahead of yourself, take up your cross never to return to your former, sinful ways, and commit yourself wholly to following Jesus through study and practice (James 1:25)? Then you are worthy of Christ!!
You can do it!! So can I!!
From wherever you are right now – BEGIN!!
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