Where are we with the cost of becoming a disciple of Jesus?

 
I tried to imagine the prophet Jeremiah speaking to us with the same message he spoke to his original audience all those thousands of years ago as we see in Jeremiah 20:7-13.

Perhaps more dramatic! It was hard for me to understand what it must have been like for him to guard that word of God in himself and still live in the midst of a people who did not understand, a people bent so much on their own realities that they miss the reality that God sees. Jeremiah felt the word of the Lord within him like something burning, challenging him, warning him. Then, he could not hold it in. So people were mad! They whispered stuff about him.” The cost of his calling must have been heavy on him. Everyone shaking their heads when they see him, whatever he had to say must have made people uncomfortable. The truth is, today there is no shortage of things that makes a true Christian believer uncomfortable. Some of it, is part of the cost of discipleship. Following Jesus is not without its challenges. Where are we? Is the word of God still challenging our hearts, our daily lives? Are we really true witnesses of Christ in our world? Can we challenge ourselves and know where we are at? Not like a thermometer kind of measuring but recognizing what real discipleship of Christ looks like.

We can begin with our own self-assessment. I love to watch those National Geographic documentaries. They tell us that predators have an inbuilt system that recognizes or sizes up the opponent/ the prey and make a quick decision to pounce or not to pounce, to abandon the chase or to give it its every effort. I thought a lot about the Christian life journey. There is a cost to it. Is there something dear to you, that you had to abandon to become a disciple of Jesus? If not, then how different are we from the rest of the world? For those who are baptized, we have a new life within us. When the world turns the heat up, we must withstand all its trials and temptations and stay strong in our faith.

Just like the predator calculates its chances to make a meal, what kind of calculations true Christians make to live in a world that is increasingly hostile to its faith? Bear in mind that wrong calculations may result in perhaps someone supporting something totally inconsistent with our faith. I see the prophet Jeremiah as a type of a true Christian believer. His presence in the world is already like a warning light to the world, saying these kinds of behaviors are not right, God is not pleased. So where are we, as those seeking to be true disciples of Christ, those who are not distracted by the terror around us, those whose focus is learning God’s reality for us.

Yes, there is evil in the world. The powers of darkness are at work. There is already so much noise about that. But for believers, true disciples of Christ. They are fully aware of the mantle of leadership on them. The word of God in them, some which we repeat every day in Morning and Evening prayer, those moments of close communion with Christ, your prayers, are like a gentle voice that is healing to the world. I need that healing. We all need that healing.

Our Psalm 69 is definitely such a prayer, if you feel like everything is not going as you wish, or if you feel like the stress you are experiencing, is too much to bear, call on Jesus to calm the storms for you, there is redemption in Jesus Christ the Son of God. Keep strong in your faith, and let Jesus fight those battles for you. You are God's Child! You win.

Be blessed!