Devotion

^{Luke 9:57}

Now it happened as they journeyed on the road, that someone said to Him, “Lord, I will follow You wherever You go.”

                                                      "Are You Coming?"

After years of ministry, I have heard many people proclaim, “Lord, I will follow you wherever you go.”  But when the journey gets difficult, it is then a different story.  I have spoken to hundreds, who proclaim they want to be a missionary in Africa, but time passes and we never hear from them again.  When life gets difficult will you continue to follow Jesus wherever He goes?

Wes Bentley has an analogy he uses when speaking to men at conferences, and that is of a soldier lying in a fox hole with his rifle between his legs, shaking with fear. While the enemy approaches, he’s unable to perform his duty!  His commander yells at him and says, “Are you coming,” and he lays in his fox hole unresponsive.

As believers, we all experience the difficulties life has to throw at us.  But the real question is are we going to continue following Jesus wherever He goes, or are we going to remain in the fox hole…”Are you coming?

I think of all the trials Paul experienced:  stripes above measure, in prisons, in death often, stoned three times, shipped wrecked, a night and a day in the sea, robbers, and perils among false brethren. … “Are you coming?”  

And again, hard pressed on every side, yet not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed… “Are you coming?

As Jesus prayed in Gethsemane, “Father, if it is Your will, remove this cup from Me; never the less not My will, but Yours, be done”…”Are you coming?”

Jesus is saying “Follow Me” are we able to make that journey to the end? “Are you coming?”