Leaving and Facing

In today’s reading, Jesus assured his apostles that they would receive eternal life.

Then, in the very next verse, he told them that he was going to Jerusalem to die a violent death.

After leaving behind jobs and family to follow Jesus, they had to face the reality that the One they were following would soon die. They might have been wondering if they were going to have to die too.

Sometimes today our journey with Christ involves leaving our old lives. When I was considering university, I visited one quite far from my home town.

I felt called there but wrestled with the decision. I feared leaving the established for the unknown, letting go of possibilities closer to home and losing things that I cherished about my life at the time.

This passage from Luke 18 encouraged me. Sometimes following Christ can mean leaving familiar, expected, secure things behind.

It can mean facing the death of comfortable patterns and even potential opportunities.

In following faithfully where God calls, we can witness new life—just as the disciples witnessed abundant new life on Easter morning.

Prayer: Dear God, help us to be willing to leave our familiar place to follow you and serve you fully. In the name of Jesus Christ we pray. Amen