“Another of His disciples said, ‘Lord, first let me return home and bury my father.’ But Jesus told him, ‘Follow Me now. Let the spiritually dead bury their own dead.’” (Matthew 8:21-22 NLT)
We place a lot of priority on our priorities! That’s the nature of man. We tend to believe that what is important to us should be important to everyone else and we’re dumbfounded when someone disagrees with us, when someone has a different set of priorities.
That’s what keeps a lot of people from Jesus. In the verses above Jesus sounds impatient, even cruel, to believe someone shouldn’t go to their father’s funeral, but should just drop EVERYTHING and follow Him NOW!” But the context suggests the person’s father hadn’t died. He likely wasn’t even sick. What the man was asking was to stick around until his father died, not knowing how long that would be.
In other words, the man’s priority was his family. He was postponing following Jesus until he felt he could, based on the dictates of his other commitments. How like so many today. “When I get married!” “When I have kids!” “When I get older!” “When I get more financially set!” “When I __________!” And you can fill in the blank. What’s my point?
If we’re not prepared to accept Jesus’ priorities when we first come to Him, then when? Jesus said to the man in the verses above: “Follow Me now!” Why the urgency? Because this moment is the only moment we have in which to make a decision about anything. Can you fix your flat tire yesterday? Can we plan a vacation tomorrow? And you’re thinking: “Duh, yeh. I can do whatever I want tomorrow!”
Jesus told a story about a rich man in Luke 12 whose very fertile fields yielded an abundant crop. So he said to himself: “My friend, you have enough stored away for years to come. Now take it easy! Eat, drink, and be merry!” “But God said to him, ‘You fool! You will die this very night. Then who will get everything you worked for?”
We have no promise of the next breath. To think we can accomplish anything, then come to Jesus is arrogant and foolish. And the irony is, there’s nothing, literally NOTHING this world can offer that even comes close to what walking with Jesus can offer. My concern for people’s souls isn’t simply that they’ll miss heaven. The issue isn’t heaven or hell, it’s Jesus. To miss Jesus is hell, whether we’re living or dead.
We live near (not in 😊) a very wealthy community. I’ll sometimes drive by some of these houses and think about the priorities of those who live there. No doubt some think they’ve “arrived,” that they have it all! They may have all that money can buy, but most don’t have a clue what they’re missing.
Money can’t buy what Jesus offers. Forgiveness, hope, meaning, purpose, value, a sense of wholeness and contentment, a mission on this earth and a forever home in heaven.
The Bible says in 1 Corinthians 15:52: “It will happen in a moment, in the blink of an eye, when the last trumpet is blown.” There will be no time to prepare or beg for forgiveness. It will be eternally too late. This verse refers to Christ’s second coming, but the truth is, that’s how we die. One second we’re here, the next second we’re not.
If you have any hope for life in Jesus, THIS moment is the only moment you have in which for you to choose Him. What are you waiting for? Open your heart to Him now, while there’s time. Please click the link below to watch a brief video explaining how you can be ready to meet Jesus when He comes for you. https://hutchcraft.com/the-bridge-to-god
Blessings, Ed 😊
Walking With Jesus 