Maybe Later

I'm just over half way through the list of reasons to not believe.  Of all the reasons I've listed, this one - to say "maybe later" - is perhaps to some a strange reason, but it's also the most personal to me. It's the reason I didn't believe for many years.  Or perhaps I should say it's why I didn't commit to following Christ.  A few years ago I posted a blog that gave my "Faith Story," that is, the story of how I became a follower of Jesus.

As a teenager I heard "the Gospel" at least two or three times, in school (yeah, very radical for my American friends) and at a local youth group. Each time I heard it, it resonated with me and yet I wouldn't respond for fear of what my friends would think. I always thought "maybe someday" but never today.  I'm guessing this is quite common. We worry about what others think which holds us back from doing what we know deep down is right, despite what others might think. Peer pressure is a powerful barrier.  Unfortunately, the scriptures are quite clear. Jesus said "Whoever is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels." Even at that time, I knew that I was sitting on the fence and that wasn't good enough.


Turning back again to scripture, one of the radical things Jesus said is "If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even their own life—such a person cannot be my disciple. And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple." In that scripture He goes on to say that like someone considering a building project, or a king deciding whether or not to go to war, would count the cost first and so you too should count the cost before deciding to become His disciple.  He concludes by saying "In the same way, those of you who do not give up everything you have cannot be my disciples."

In these words He hits us right in the heart. Will we choose to love Him over any other, whether best friends or even our closest family in order to follow Him? That's a tough fence to climb over.


So it isn't supposed to be easy, to choose to follow Jesus.  But if you do, then He promises so much more in return: “Truly I tell you,” Jesus replied, “no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age: homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields—along with persecutions—and in the age to come eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last first.”


One last scripture for this blog, and it's one I pray often for friends and family who've not yet decided to follow Jesus:

As God’s co-workers we urge you not to receive God’s grace in vain. For he says,
“In the time of my favor I heard you,
   
  and in the day of salvation I helped you.”
I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation.

You can say "maybe later" as I did all those years ago, and perhaps God will be gracious and give you a second, third and fourth chance to respond to Him. But perhaps not, and maybe today is the day to step off the fence and make that decision.
 I pray you will.