Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Will he not first sit down and estimate the cost to see if he has enough money to complete it? For if he lays the foundation and is not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule him, saying, 'This fellow began to build and was not able to finish...' Luke 14:28-31"I've started so I'll finish". This was the catchphrase of the famous host of the old popular gameshow Mastermind. According to the words of Jesus this kind of talk is no laughing matter. It is apparently one of his favourite quotes.
At this time of year people get a big buzz from making New Years Resolutions and all sorts of plans for the future don't they? The top resolutions for the average person in 2009 include losing weight, getting organised, giving up smoking and spending more time with family. Whether or not they will look back on the year and see it as a success will largely depend on how long that gym membership lasts, how much will power they can muster up and how much they can stick to what they say they will do. At the end of the day, making resolutions in this season is often seen as a bright idea as opposed to a binding contract. But when it comes to laying the foundations of God in our life, Jesus challenges us not to make our "anytime resolutions" lightly.No one likes being laughed at by anyone, especially when it comes to matters of the heart. But this is what may await us if we start and don't finish the greatest resolution we will ever make. We have to be willing to see it through to the end. And it may cost us dearly.
Have we "estimated the cost" to follow Jesus? Because today's "Page 1" foundation mindset asks us have we carefully considered the worth of the foundation we are about to lay? How much are we holding onto our cosy, comfortable lives and how much are we willing to let an inconvenient God take over? What about that friendship, that career dream or that reputation? What if it all has to go? Is it really worth the hassle? Is HE worth the hassle? These are questions not to be laughed at.
Jesus finishes his mastermind challenge in these verses by saying "In the same way, any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple." Tough words, but perhaps they contain a secret grain of hope. What if the things we give up were not worth as much as that which we will gain in return? What if the things we see as oh so important now, won't be oh so important in eternity, and by letting go of what we see in front of our face, we may catch a glimpse of what we will see in front of the throne.Is that the kind of foundation we would be willing to lay... and one we could stick with till the end?
FOUNDATION CHECK: What things have you had to give up in order to follow Jesus? Is it worth it so far? Is there anything else you need to let go of in order to start building your life in a fresh way?
Very very challenging!... It's so easy to be excited about something at the start, and then as soon as it gets a little bit hard, to give up. Choosing to follow Jesus cannot be a passive thing... BUT, when we see and begin to understand what God has in store for us, who choose Jesus over the things of the world, it gives us HOPE and PERSEVERANCE!
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