Commitment
But Jesus said to him, “No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.”
(Luke 9:62, NKJV)
In anything that we do, we have an expectation of being successful, this is the reason why we put in a lot of effort to learn what is required of us and how we can improve our chances of success. Our education system as well as the professional environments that we find ourselves in, have a set standard required of all who engage. Success in these areas is rewarded and this in itself reinforces the desire and pursuit to be counted as having conquered the evaluation gauge. If we look back in our lives, we realize times when we have worked hard to compete and be the best in what we do, and it is possible that there are still areas of our lives where we are striving for the mark of success. This is the same for our walk of faith, as believers when we consider and choose to take our journey of faith in God, we are also called to live in a given way. One thing we quickly realize is that we cannot make it to God’s standard by ourselves, for we do not have it in ourselves to satisfy the requirements of God most holy. Brethren, this realization should not be a source of frustration for us but should call us to bow to His leading acknowledging the blood of Jesus which makes us the righteousness of God (2 Corinthians 5:21). God our Father knowing we could not make it by ourselves, sent His son Jesus who had no sin to die for us, and from His death then we are counted as the righteousness of God. Pondering on this singular verse is very humbling as we see the gentle love of God for us, a love that led Him to give of Himself so that we could reach the mark of holiness and be reconciled to Him.
Once we receive a glimpse of the revelation of what Jesus did for us, we are not only grateful but also feel obligated to also do our part of living as He would want us to, a life that is worth His sacrifice on the cross. We can therefore appreciate Paul’s words that his life was offered to Christ who had given His life for him (Galatians 2:20). Our reference verse is spoken by Jesus to His disciples as He asked them to count the cost of following Him. Like us, they had responsibilities in their families and dreams of what they wanted to achieve in life which were all legitimate wishes. Reading the passage (Luke 9:57-62), one realizes that despite any other responsibilities we have, following Jesus calls for nothing but full commitment. In our daily spaces of interaction, commitment is not a common word as it calls one to accountability and obligations that demand no excuse. It therefore presents a dilemma to many, especially where one might be considering unforeseen changes. As a result, many of us have become commitment-averse, leaving situations to the mood of the day or the convenience of the moment. This however is contrary to the total commitment that Jesus calls us to, with Him it is not a half-way journey, it is either we are totally in or not. Beloved, this might sound harsh and inflexible to our human minds and hearts, but when we consider the ultimate sacrifice that Jesus gave for our salvation, we cannot give a different bargain it has to be all just as He gave. It is no wonder then that we are told to love the Lord our God with all our soul, heart and mind that means to love Him with everything about us (Matthew 22:37). James also reminds us that a double-minded person is unstable and will not receive anything from the Lord (James 1:7-8). Brethren, we receive the benefits of being God’s children when He has our total commitment. We are to make a resolve to follow Him and stick with it. I am so grateful though this is not something that any one of us can do by ourselves, His presence and His word will guide us. The words of Jesus that none that came to Him got lost (John 17:12) encourage us to stick for He is a good shepherd and will lead us through the steps of life.
Thoughts:
What are your thoughts on commitment?
Are there areas you have not committed to God?
How has God handled what you have committed to Him?