Words from the Rock
Another disciple said to Jesus, “Lord, let me wait till I bury my father.” Jesus answered, “Come with me, and let the dead bury their dead.”
Matthew 8:21–22 CEV
In Jewish tradition, there was almost nothing that took precedence over the death of a loved one. And although the body was buried quickly, sometimes it took several days to handle the responsibilities of seeing to the widow, the inheritance, and other details. Under normal circumstances, a devoted son wouldn’t dream of taking off during that time. In fact, his friends and neighbors would probably label him as a no-good loser if he did such a thing.
But Jesus, the Messiah, was inviting this man to follow him. Jesus was offering him the privilege to come and listen and learn from the Son of God. This was an opportunity that came around, well, only once in eternity. Others had left jobs, spouses, children, families, neighbors, and livelihoods in order to follow Jesus during his brief earthly ministry. And you can bet that none of them regretted their choice when all was said and done.
When Jesus said, “Let the dead bury their dead,” he was in essence saying, “Come and experience life.” If that man had gone with Jesus, if he’d taken the time to discover what Jesus had to offer, he could have eventually gone back to his family (who were spiritually dead) and shared Jesus’s words of life with them. But he declined the invitation.
The good news is that Jesus extends this invitation to everyone. He invites you to step away from the land of the dead and to experience the fullness of life.
My Prayer
Dear God,
Thank you for the opportunity of a lifetime—to follow you and to live my life to the fullest. Help me to always choose life over death.
Amen.
Final Word
Jesus said to him, “Come with me!” So he got up and went with Jesus.
Mark 2:14 CEV
Stone for the Journey
Saying no to Jesus is like climbing into a casket and closing the lid.