It is true to say that anything worthwhile in life takes commitment. But it is especially so when it comes to our Creator and our Lord.
Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD; and you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might.
(Deuteronomy 6:4-5)
Jesus says the same in the New Testament.
“If anyone comes to me, and does not hate his own father, mother, wife, children, brothers, and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not bear his own cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple. ... So therefore whoever of you who does not renounce all that he has, he cannot be my disciple.”
(Luke 13:26-33)
But wait a minute! Is Jesus telling us to hate our families? Certainly not - 1 Timothy 5:8 teaches us to care for our families.
Jesus is using here a figure of speech (called a 'hyperbole') to emphasize the point: Jesus must come first in our lives, before all else.
Similarly, in verse 33 Jesus is not saying we have to give everything away; but rather that He is first, and that we need to be willing to leave everything if necessary. If called upon, we even need to be willing to give our lives for Him.
He has promised us that, if we put Him first: He will take care of us.
Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What will we eat?’, ‘What will we drink?’ or, ‘With what will we be clothed?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first God’s Kingdom, and his righteousness; and all these things will be given to you as well.
(Matthew 6:31-33)
Not only that; the christian life will be rich, full of life, and full of hope for the future!
But it is not going to be easy. Remember the quote from Luke chapter 13 above – there will be a cross to bear.
There will be times where we have to give up things we love because they are in conflict with His will. Or there will be persecution from friends or even family when they don’t approve of our faith. Jesus Himself and the early disciples suffered hardship, rejection, beatings, imprisonment, and even death for their faith. Whilst this isn’t always the case today, we need to be prepared for it if need be.
But we can know this: if we follow Him steadfastly to the end, we shall receive an incomparable reward.
... that we [His disciples] are children of God: and if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified with him. For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.
(Romans 8:16b-18)
But it is only fitting that the Creator, Sustainer and Judge has such a place in our lives. Remember that we learned that the Old Testament still has important things to teach us – and so it tells us something about the wonderful relationship we can have with Him, even while on earth!
Not unto us, O LORD, not unto us, but to your name give glory, for your mercy, and for your truth's sake.
Wherefore should the heathen say, Where is now their God? But our God is in the heavens: he has done whatsoever he has pleased.
Their idols [shrines for false gods] are silver and gold, the work of men's hands. They have mouths, but they speak not: eyes have they, but they see not: They have ears, but they hear not: noses have they, but they smell not: They have hands, but they handle not: feet have they, but they walk not: neither speak they through their throat. They that make them are like unto them; so is every one that trusts in them.
O Israel, trust in the LORD: he is their help and their shield. ... You that fear the LORD, trust in the LORD: he is their help and their shield. The LORD has been mindful of us: he will bless us; ... He will bless them that fear the LORD, both small and great. The LORD shall increase you more and more, you and your children. You are blessed of the LORD who made heaven and earth. The heaven, even the heavens, are the LORD'S: but the earth has he given to the children of men. ... But we will bless the LORD from this time forth and for evermore. Praise the LORD!
(Psalm 115)
So let us learn from Him, and follow Him fully – knowing that He will never let us down!