No Sacrifice Too Great

As I contemplate the fuller implications about following Jesus I feel Him drawing me deeper in Him. Deeper than I have ever been. It is challenging, reviving, and humbling. 

I have spent time in recent days reading all the gospel accounts of the crucifixion of Jesus. I have sat with Him in tears for two straight days humbled by His love, mercy, grace, and salvation. As I sit before the cross I am overcome with brokenness and the sense of my own sinfulness and unworthiness. Yet He loves me. Truth so simple children sing about it. Truth so profound it drives me to my knees overcome with tears of gratitude.

Jesus, who needed nothing, gave everything for a wretch like me. When I brought nothing to the table for salvation He brought all that was needed. When I can give Him so little in return He still keeps giving to me in further expressions of His love. He keeps loving. He keeps binding my wounded heart. He keeps renewing my vision. He keeps restoring hope. He keeps blessing in more ways than I can count. He keeps forgiving me. He keeps choosing to use me to communicate His truth. He keeps inspiring me with things to preach and to write. He keeps revealing Himself to me. 

He also keeps meeting with me. Me of all people. With all my flaws, failures, and faults He chooses to commune with me. He draws closer, holds me, and loves me. I am overcome with emotion. I cannot fight back the tears. Yes, even this tough former football player is humbled in a puddle of tears before Him and His love. 

Out of that I contemplate that there is no sacrifice He could ever require of me that is too great. Only once in my whole ministry can I say Brenda and I were blessed with abounding surplus of finances. How we thanked God for that season. Most of our ministry we have lived from prayer to prayer, believing from miracle to miracle. At times it has been stressful. That has been our fault. The stress only comes when we choose to doubt God and His promises. When we choose to focus on our needs and circumstances we have doubted many times. Even then God mercifully came through for us. When we keep our eyes on Him and cling to His timeless truths we trust He will come through. 

We have tried to testify about His provision and answers to our many prayers. We are getting older now. Brenda and I are both now in our early 50s. It is tempting to look down the road and think about requirement. I am embarrassed to write this but we do not have anything saved for retirement. No retirement plan. Nothing to fall back on but Him. 

He is enough. In the past I resented the sacrifices He required of us. I looked at other servants who seemed to enjoy an easier paths than the one laid out for us. How foolish of me. That was only the deception of the enemy. 

I come today to declare there is no sacrifice too great He could ask of me. Not living in poverty. Not ministering in harm's path. Not laboring and writing but never to be remembered. Not loving and serving the least of these. Not laboring tirelessly the rest of my days. Not driving vehicles with high mileage. Not having so little to  give to my boys to help them through college and life but my faith in God. Not having retirement funds to fall back on. Fair enough. I never planned on retiring anyway. Retirement will come when Jesus calls me home. No sacrifice is too great. Nothing Jesus could ever ask of me can compare to what He gave me on the cross and what He continues to give me. 

NO SACRIFICE IS TOO GREAT. NOTHING HE ASKS OF ME  COMES WITH TOO STEEP A PRICE TAG. NO MINISTRY ASSIGNMENT IS TOO HUMILIATING OR DIFFICULT. NO CROSSES HE CALLS ME TO BEAR WILL BRING TOO MUCH SUFFERING. NO SACRIFICE IS TOO GREAT. That is the only response I know to give for grace, mercy, love, salvation, and the abundant life I have through Jesus. 

Like I have never been able to say before I can say Jesus is enough. With Him I don't need the allurements and trappings of this world that never brings contentment. Jesus makes sacrifice and suffering more than tolerable. It brings a deeper communion. I would not trade that for all the worldly wealth and enticements on this earth. What Jesus is showing me is so simple and yet so profound. I can honestly write from the depths of my soul no sacrifice He requires is too great.