Tag Archives: commitment

February 9
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“We put our hope in the Lord.  He is our help and our shield.  In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name.  Let your unfailing love surround us, Lord, for our hope is in you alone.”  (Psalm 33:20-22, NLT)

As a culture, we esteem the privilege of having a wide variety of options from which to choose.  In fact, some members of our society act as if it is a right!

The psalmist in today’s scripture declares his allegiance to only one Lord; only one God; only one Savior.  We do well to narrow our “essential list” as the psalmist did, and make our Lord the subject of our focus.  Who else has been our help and our shield?  Who else loves us with an unyielding love?  – Luther

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May 27
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“So Elisha left him [Elijah] and went back.  He took his yoke of oxen and slaughtered them.  He burned the plowing equipment to cook the meat and gave it to the people, and they ate.  Then he set out to follow Elijah and became his servant.”  (I Kings 19:21, NIV)

Talk about burning bridges with style!

As disciples of Jesus, when we are committed to Him, nothing/no one else matters; but it doesn’t give us license to be disrespectful or ungracious to others.

When Elisha received from God the call to become Elijah’s successor, Elisha asked for permission from Elijah to properly bid farewell to his mother and father (verse 20).  That was the respectful thing to do.

Elisha then sacrificed the implements of his former life (the plowing equipment and the oxen) and from them hosted a huge “barbecue” for his neighbors.  That was the gracious thing to do.

We may not be able to choose our “calling,” but we are able to choose how we depart. Let us strive to be respectful and gracious in all that we do.  – Luther

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May 5
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“Large crowds were traveling with Jesus, and turning to them he said: ‘If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters — yes, even their own life — such a person cannot be my disciple.  And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.”  (Luke 14:25-27, NIV)

There is a difference between the “crowd” and the “committed.” Crowds are self-interested and fickle.  The company of the committed is in to the finish.

Jesus’ words to the crowd were necessarily pointed: There is no room for competing loyalties; there is no room for followers who are not willing to keep to the path — even to humiliation and suffering (represented by the cross).

As all conditional or contingent statements, these words of our Lord give us a choice.  How have we chosen?  – Luther

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