1st February 2024
Total commitment
“…I do not seek My own will but the will of the Father who sent Me.”
John 5:30. (NKJV)
There is a little anecdote you may have heard about a pig and a chicken who discussed opening a new restaurant. The pig asked the chicken what they should call it. The chicken suggested ‘Ham & Eggs’. The pig replied ‘No, because I would be totally committed but you would only contribute!’
This humorous anecdote was sometimes used in company staff meetings to make the point that having a successful business requires total commitment on the part of all employees. The same principle holds true for followers of Jesus Christ and his church. As the header scripture shows, Jesus’ commitment to the will of his heavenly Father was 100 percent.
One day as Jesus was walking down a road someone said to him, “Lord, I will follow You wherever You go.” Jesus replied, “Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.” (Luke 9:57-58). In other words, Jesus was telling him that the going will sometimes get tough and uncomfortable. Others made excuses why they were unable, or, more probably, unwilling, to commit to following him. (vv. 59-61). Jesus was not impressed and explained to one gentleman that, “No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.” (v. 62).
By contrast, when Jesus called his disciples to come and follow him, there were no negative excuses (Mark 1:16-20). Even the despised tax collector left his lucrative employment to join Jesus: ‘As He passed by, He saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax office. And He said to him, “Follow Me.” So he arose and followed Him.’ (Mark 2:14). On another occasion Jesus taught his disciples to “…seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness…” (Matthew 6:33).
It never ceases to amaze me how people can be so committed to sports such as football and rugby and are prepared to travel to the ‘ends of the earth’, so to speak, to support their favourite team. Fans of Ireland’s Daniel O’Donnell for example, are willing to travel to various countries to hear and support their favourite singer when he is on tour. Nothing wrong with these things per se, providing they don’t make an idol out of their chosen team or singer!
At the end of the apostle Paul’s life he wrote to Timothy, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord…will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.” (2 Timothy 4:7-8). Let’s be like Paul and let nothing come between us and our commitment to the God of our salvation.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, help us to stay committed to You, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit, and not be distracted and drawn away by the pressures and cares of this troubled world. In Jesus’s name I pray. Amen.
Study by John Magowan
About the writer:
John Magowan attends the Lisburn congregation of Grace Communion International, Northern Ireland.
Local congregation:
Lisburn Grace Communion
Ballymacbrennan School House
129A Saintfield Road
Lisburn
BT27 5PG
Meeting time:
Sunday 11.00 am
Local congregational contact:
Bob Beggs
Email:lisburngracecom@gmail.com
(www.grace-ni.org)
Word of Life contact:
wordoflife@gracecom.church