Luke 14:25-33
Large crowds were travelling with Jesus, and turning to them he said: “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters – yes, even his own life – he cannot be my disciple. And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.
"Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Will he not first sit down and estimate the cost to see if he has enough money to complete it? For if he lays the foundation and is not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule him, saying, ‘This fellow began to build and was not able to finish'
“Or suppose a king is about to go to war against another king. Will he not first sit down and consider whether he is able with ten thousand men to oppose the one coming against him with twenty thousand? If he is not able, he will send a delegation while the other is still a long way off and will ask for terms of peace. In the same way, any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple.”
Dear Lord, So what does this mean? Have I not been counting the cost of following You thus far? Is it time to do stocktaking?
What will it be like for that incomplete tower to be someone’s Christian life? If a Christian sets out to serve You without first counting the cost, what will happen to him? Why do we need to count the cost anyway? Don’t You provide all?
“Counting the cost is required so that you will know how much you lack. If you don’t know how much you lack, how can you know what to ask from Me? If you do not ask, what should I provide?
Those who did not count the cost do not know what they lack. The resources they have are their own. When that runs out, they become desperate, discouraged, and disillusioned. They wonder why I do not provide. I will, if they ask.”
God, I think there have been times – many times – when I did not count the cost of serving You. It seems to be so straightforward: my leaders ask me to do something, and I will do it. In fact, now I come to think of it, I tend to only ask You for provision when desperate. My service to You is also limited by my own strength, and in this way the advance of the Kingdom is limited also. Still, I’m thankful that by Your grace, I’m not that incomplete tower, and that I’m still around wanting to go on.
Now that a new station of my Christian life is beginning back in NUS, I feel there is so much I can do. So much I want to do. I want to build a tower. I’m glad that You brought me to this passage. Before I go on, I should count the cost of my new service. If I had just charged ahead, I would have run out of steam sooner or later. Either I would have given up, or I would have become a burden to others.
Yes, I will plan the way ahead and I will count the cost. Then I will come to You and ask You to provide the shortfall. Thank You Lord. =)
