Take It With You 01.02.2022

For every yes there is a cost. When we say yes to a new job we take a risk that it won’t be the right move.  When we agree to teach Sunday School we have the cost of time in preparation, outreach and attendance. Saying yes can mean our children are in the nursery for a long time on a Sunday, and saying yes to help on a mission house or mission trip may have the cost of vacation and financial resources. These however are really often the “easy” yes answers even though they may seem difficult.

Today’s scripture is sometimes tough to understand when Jesus tells the crowd if we don’t hate our family members, our own lives, or carry our cross, we can’t be His disciples.  The people in that day knew all about what it meant to carry a cross, but they had no idea that Jesus would in fact carry His own cross to Calvary for our sin. Jesus said if we don’t give up everything we have, we can’t be His disciples.  

Perhaps Mary Brown’s text in the old hymn, “I’ll Go Where You Want Me to Go” is what Jesus was talking about. Saying YES to wherever and whatever our Lord asks of us.

It may not be on the mountain’s height,
Or over the stormy sea;
It may not be at the battle’s front,
My Lord will have need of me;
But if by a still, small voice He calls,
To paths that I do not know,
I’ll answer, dear Lord, with my hand in Thine,
I’ll go where You want me to go.

In this new year of opportunities to follow Jesus in 2022, as our music today so beautifully reminds us, may we:

Say, “Yes I Will” as we “Fall Down and Lay Our Crowns at the feet of Jesus”

Because:

“Blessed Assurance, Jesus is Mine!”

May it always be our story and our song in 2022 and beyond, whatever He asks of us.

For such a time as this.

~ Kerri Hurley