Tuesday, January 8, 2013

Counting the Cost

In Luke 14:25-35, the Lord Jesus told His followers that to follow Him would require that they count the cost of discipleship. In verses 28-32 the Lord used the following illustrations, "For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it? Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him, Saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish. Or what king, going to make war against another king, sitteth not down first, and consulteth whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand?  Or else, while the other is yet a great way off, he sendeth an ambassage, and desireth conditions of peace." The concept Jesus used of counting the cost to illustrate His point is interesting.

I don't want to get political. After all this weblog is dedicated to the Lord Jesus. But it is hard for me not to be somewhat affected by the things I read in the news. For instance the debt limit. I know that when my bank account is empty, I can't write any more checks until it is replenished. It bothers me that when our national debt reaches its limit, the politicians just vote to raise the debt limit and then continue to spend as if there were no tomorrow. They say if the debt limit is not increased, the full faith and credit of the USA will be damaged. But are they counting the cost?

I currently have a credit card. If I charge things on that card and get to the credit (read debt) limit without paying it down or off, the credit card lender will  have to increase my credit (read debt) limit or refuse me more credit. It seems that it would be the same with our national debt. The main and perhaps the only difference in my example is that congress can raise the debt limit and the treasury department can print more money and the USA can spend more and more and more. I wonder if the government has counted the cost lately. We hear some politicians say that our grandchildren will inherit the debt we have created. If at some point we don't begin to count the cost, it will not be our grandchildren, but our great grand-kids and our great, great, well you perhaps get the picture.

No, I really don't want to get political with my blog but nevertheless it bothers me to see the way our country is headed. To get back to what the Lord Jesus said in the gospel of Luke, He was speaking about not being able to be His disciple if we don't count the cost. If we think that there will be no cost, think again, there will be a price to pay. I want to be saved, not just now but when the Lord Jesus comes back for His church. How about you? Have you counted the cost?

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