The Decision
It’s one thing to burn your boats where there’s an entire forest of which you could build new ones, and it’s quite another to burn them in a desolate place where there is not so much as a blade of grass. Which one requires more commitment?
Which is easier: telling God I’ll serve you no matter what, when you have freedom of religion, a family, a nice church building, housing, and money in the bank; or, planting your Christian flag in a land where merely whispering the name of Jesus could cost you your life?
Matthew 16:24-26 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for My sake shall find it. For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?
Have you made the decision to follow Him no matter what? What is the price of your decision? Is it circumstantial?
Matthew 13:20-21 But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the Word, and anon (immediately) with joy receiveth it; Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth (endures) for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the Word, by and by he is offended.
This is not so much concerned with hardship in of itself; rather, it’s about getting in touch with the quality of our decision. Those who have made the decision of decisions will no never turn back. The ground is too good and the roots are too deep to be uprooted no matter the storm one may face. Because the Rock on which they stand will never falter, they stand firm! In essence, they are at the point of no return.
Luke 6:46-48 And why call ye Me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say? Whosoever cometh to Me, and heareth My sayings, and doeth them, I will shew you to whom he is like: He is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a Rock.
Question: why would anyone fear losing that which is temporary, anyway?
