“which of you…

does not sit down first

and count the cost?”

Luke 14:28

~

I had lunch with a friend the other day ~ finally.  Her birthday was in October, and we finally got together to celebrate.  I blame her schedule 😉

We went to California Pizza Kitchen, and I thoroughly enjoyed my wild mushroom pizza.  No one else in my family really likes mushrooms, and any time we order pizza we’re sharing, so it’s not something I normally get to order.  I highly recommend it!

One of the things that I enjoy when my friend and I get together, is hearing updates on her kids.  They are in their 20s, and it’s an exciting time of new jobs and boyfriends and weddings and new babies.  

Her youngest has just moved to New York to take a new job.  And she and her boyfriend are talking marriage.  But he’s in the military reserves, and she’s has some hesitations about what their life together will be like, with that component.  It’s not enough to keep her from wanting to marry him, but I’m guessing she’ll be glad when his commitment is done.

I realized as my friend and I were talking, that I think it’s a really good thing that his military commitment gives her daughter pause, because I think it shows that she’s really aware of how that is going to impact their life together.  She has to have given it some thought if she can come away with a strong opinion, good or bad.

I remember another friend of mine telling me something similar, about five years ago.  This friend’s daughter is married to a movie and TV actor, but before they were married, she had to ask herself if that was a lifestyle she was comfortable with.  He can be gone for months at a time, and they have relocated to accommodate his work.  That can be difficult, and I was impressed that before agreeing to marry him, she prayed about those circumstances.

“Count the cost,” the Bible says.  But we very often don’t.  Particularly when our emotions are involved, and most particularly when that emotion is love.  But consider this:  Jesus gave the people this warning in regards to something He wanted very much for them to do:  follow Him.  So if we are to count the cost before the best decision we could ever make, how much more should we before making lesser decisions?  You know, like marriage.

Look.  And see.  And pray.  And then take up your cross and follow Him.

 

~ “Lord, I will follow You, but let me first…”

“No one, having put his hand to the plow,

and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.” ~

Luke 14:61,62

~