April 11
Luke 14:25-27
“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.”
When we choose to accept Christ, we choose to put Him before everything and everyone. We choose to take everyone down from whatever pedestal we have placed them in our lives and put Christ in that position. Once we come to God we have to realize that He is the most important person in our lives, therefore everyone must fall in line after Him. Our parents, siblings, spouses, careers, ministries, etc. must come after God. We can not choose to please our parents, loved ones, or even high authorities when what they require of us is contrary to God. We must be able to respectfully decline the request of those we love if their request is not in line with the Word of God. Neither man nor careers, or relationships should ever come before God. We can never be true disciples of Christ if we cannot put Him in the position only He can hold (He before every element of this life). We also cannot be His disciples if we cannot stand up for what is right by holding fast to His Word, because even our own lives have to come after Christ.
In reality, the only way we can truly be disciples of God is if and only if we make a conscious decision to put God and everything that concerns Him before everything. We each have to serve God for ourselves. Every individual has the responsibility of building their own relationship with God. Put no one first, because our praying grandmothers can only direct us in the path of God but they cannot drag us to heaven with them. Neither can our pastors, parents or friends. Make up your mind this day that you will be a true disciple of God alone, not one of God and man.
