Preparations

I have been reading from the gospel of Luke. This morning I read chapter 14. I was a bit stumped by the message and had to read it over a few times until my brain really got going but I think the Lord finally got it thru to me. Jesus is talking about being disciples and how we have to give up everything and take up our cross to follow him. He gives two examples about the message, I think he is trying to get across. One is about someone who wants to build a tower and Jesus says won't he sit down and estimate the cost before getting started so he doesn't end up with a half built tower because he runs out of money. The other example is about a King who must go do battle with the enemy. Jesus says, won't he consider how many soldiers he has vs. how many he's going up against and realize he's out-matched so will send out a peace offering. So, in both of these examples it seems they are preparing for what is ahead of them so they will be ready for it. I think that Jesus is trying to say that we too must do the same to be his disciples. We have to prepare ourselves for what may come our way. So, my question now is how do we prepare ourselves to be disciples of Christ? It's funny how my action items that I have written just yesterday and my light bulb moment yesterday reading A Purpose Driven Life are really a big part of what I have read this morning in Luke 14. Prepare. By receiving God's Word, reading it, reflecting on it, remembering it. The more we prepare ourselves through His Word the better we are equipped to be disciples of Christ. Well, that makes a whole lot of sense. It's like a student who has a big test coming up in school. The better prepared you are for it the more equipped you will be and the more success you will have on that test. I want to be successful in my discipleship for Christ. I want to be an instrument for Him that will help others draw closer and having their own relationship with Christ. So, today I will look over my action items and start working on implementation. Our first calling or role in our lives should be as a disciple of Christ. It is something that I will have to pray for help on everyday as life and my other roles as wife, mother, sister, daughter, employee, neighbor, friend, etc. all pull at me. Lord help me to put you first and make my #1 mission each day to be your disciple. Amen.