JEFF TURNER

The call to follow Jesus is urgent, and Luke 9 shows just how seriously he took it. A man asked permission to go home first and wait until his father had died before committing to discipleship. At first glance, the request sounds reasonable, even respectful. But the situation was not what it appeared to be. The father had not yet died.

What the man was asking for was time: go home, wait out his father’s remaining years, secure the inheritance, then follow Jesus once his financial future was settled. Jesus was not calling anyone to abandon grieving families. He was calling out a heart that wanted to follow only after every earthly arrangement was in order.

The lesson is this: when Jesus calls, the right response is to trust him with the details and go, not to wait until personal security is guaranteed.

 But Jesus said to him, “No one, after putting his hand to the plow and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.”

Luke 9:62