Luke 14:25-35

Jesus talks in this passage about discipleship.

Churches today have a tendency to make salvation and God's grace easy: "Come to Jesus and everything will be OK."

Jesus was the complete opposite -  telling the crowds of the cost of discipleship. God needs to be first in our relationships and in whatever we think of as important. We need to be willing to give everything else up to follow God.

This seems like an impossible task to ask of us. Who would be willing to do that unless they have come to the place of knowing the love of God and understanding that his presence is all that they need.

What will it mean for me to take up my cross and be willing to persevere and remain under that cross, taking the path that God has prepared for me?

Lord, teach me how to hold onto all things around me very loosely, to seek you first and see the things that you value, and to store up treasure in heaven.