When Following Jesus Cannot Wait

Good morning, and welcome to Grace For Another Morning.

Some words of Jesus are difficult because they seem almost too severe.

“Let the dead bury their dead.”

At first hearing, it can sound as though Jesus is dismissing grief, family responsibility, or respect for a parent. But Jesus was not teaching His followers to become uncaring people. He was exposing something much deeper.

The man had been given a direct invitation:

“Follow me.”

And his answer contained three revealing words:

“Lord… me first.”

That is where this hard saying reaches us.

We may call Him Lord while still putting something else first.

I understand how easily that happens.

There have been seasons when I became so consumed with trying to build a good life, establish a career, and create a stable future for my wife and children that spending time with God quietly moved farther down the list.

None of those things were bad.

Providing for a family is good. Working hard is good. Planning for tomorrow is wise.

But good responsibilities can become dangerous when they continually become the reason we tell Jesus, “First let me…”

First let me establish the career.

First let me get the finances settled.

First let me get through this busy season.

First let me take care of everyone else.

First let me solve this problem.

Then, Lord, I will have time for You.

The problem is that another “first” always seems to arrive.

Jesus was confronting the illusion that obedience can always be postponed until life becomes more convenient.

It rarely does.

There will always be another obligation, another concern, another project, another bill, another problem demanding attention.

The call of Christ is not merely another responsibility to fit somewhere into an already crowded life.

It is the relationship around which the rest of life must be ordered.

Jesus said, “Follow me.”

Not when everything is settled.

Not when nothing else needs you.

Not when you finally have enough time.

Now.

That does not mean abandoning the people God has entrusted to us. It means refusing to let even legitimate responsibilities become excuses for spiritual neglect.

Perhaps the most dangerous things competing with God are not always sinful things.

Sometimes they are good things that have quietly taken first place.

And sooner or later, Jesus asks us the same question hidden inside His command:

Who comes first?