What is the Cost?

What is the cost of following Christ? Last night I was thinking about stuff going on in my life, stuff that has happened in the past, dredging up old emotions-feelings of inadequacy, anger, pain, and confusion.



Where did all that pondering lead me to...the question....what does following Christ cost? Everything worth getting costs something. Nothing of any value is free. My relationship with Christ cost Him his life so what should living for Him cost me? Should it just cost Him, be free to me, free to live any way I choose or does following Christ, being His disciple, cost something?



Listening to our pastor this morning preach a funeral...He said that this dear lady came to some point in her life where she understood that there was more to Christ than a get into heaven ticket. Hmmm...so many are saved as by fire, but miss the blessings that come from surrendering their life to Christ. Others are just (pardon the expression) hell bent on living life their way.



So I find myself reviewing where I have been in my attitudes, my burdens, my prayer life, my Christian walk....and too realize that there is a lot more to this than a get to heaven ticket which only cost me the faith of a child, but cost God everything. This Christian walk does indeed cost something. I find my words to my children and about my children echoing in my ears. They are grown now-we have invested in them, taught them, provided for them, given them the knowledge and tools to live their own lives. There was a time when our relationship with them was all about us giving to them. They didn't have to give anything back. That isn't true anymore. They have a responsibility in this relationship now. There was a time in my Christian life, when I was a baby, that it was all about God providing for me, teaching me, giving me tools to live this life. Is it my turn now...time to live those truths no matter what the cost?

It may cost some of my relationships, may cost me some earthly comforts, may cost me my dreams for my life in exchange for His plan for my life. I have been a child of God for 23 years now, but am just now coming to the realization of what following Christ here on earth may cost...but that realization is punctuated with the truth that next to knowing Christ and living for Him, everything else is but dung.