This article is based on a conversation from Episode 249 of the Into the Harvest podcast.
Click here to listen to the full conversation.
“Yah, but where are you going?”
Every summer during high school, our youth group went to a Christian music festival. It was a week of tent camping, great music, and some Bible study. The showers were constantly cold, but we signed up every year to hear bands like DC Talk on the main stage.
One night after the major concert, a man stopped my friends and me. Shining his flashlight at us, he asked: “Where are you going?”
We were 15 years old, it was late, and this moment stands out from all the memories of camp because it was so bizarre. We were going where everyone else was going: back to our campsite. But he pressed on, asking again “Sure, but where are you going?”
We began to point. “Down this road, to that road. Clear out in the field…” We weren’t catching on and he was frustrated.
“Yah, but where are you going? Heaven? Or Hell?”
Understanding hit us like a flashlight beam to the face, and with relief we answered, “Oh. Heaven.” High fives all around and off to bed we headed.
Why were we so confident?
Church culture hangs heavily on salvation, and rightfully so. It is important. We focus on counting the cost of NOT following Christ. I’ve got my fire insurance-I’m safe from hell! Where are you going?
What is the cost to follow Christ?
Then a teacher of the law came to him and said, “Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.” Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.” Another disciple said to him, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.” But Jesus told him, “Follow me, and let the dead bury their own dead.” Matthew 8:19-22
The first man is ready to follow, and Jesus checks him. The path to follow isn’t comfortable. The second man has a task to get done, and again Jesus has a heart check. Let the dead bury their dead. Set aside your earthly tasks, and take up the spiritual tasks.
Luke 9:61-62 has one more man:
Still another said, “I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say goodbye to my family.” Jesus replied, “No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.” In a very technical sense, a man with his hand to the plow is focused on planting for a harvest. Looking over your shoulder during this task creates sloppy rows. You can’t be focused on the duty to family and the duty to God or you won’t be able to do either job well.
Then he got into the boat and his disciples followed him. Matthew 8:23
His disciples heard the cost and climbed into the boat. How many of us signed up for the fire insurance but won’t climb into the boat after hearing the cost? Can we have it both ways: saved but not followers?
Our churches are filled with comfortable believers, but we lack pews of devoted disciples. Disciples follow Jesus into a boat, leaving the distractions of the world behind.
Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. Mark 12:30
I spent time looking at the Greek for heart, soul, mind, and strength while thinking through this verse. I was trying to get to the root of what areas of life this covers. I suddenly realized, “What areas of my life does this NOT cover?” I should be loving God with my feelings, worship, thoughts, abilities, passions, desires, and understanding.
Every facet of our lives should show our love for God, and our love will drive us to obey the teachings of Jesus (John 14:21).
The question isn’t just “Where are you going?” there’s an additional question, “How are you going?” Are we trying to live a life with one foot in the boat and one on the shore?
What distractions are keeping you from living a life of devotion? Are there areas of your life that are “off-limits” to God? Are you drifting from devotion?
