From the time Jesus started His ministry people came. They travelled from afar. They carried their sick. They were burdened by the journey. It cost them something, whether it be time, money, distance, relationship. As I read the end of Matthew 4, I began to think about the people who sought out Christ in those early days of His ministry. They answered a call to come, a yearning in their spirit. And it cost them something to come.
Imagine the hope they felt as they travelled. Imagine the hope of being healed from a life long affliction? Imagine the hope of your child being given sight? Imagine the hope of becoming pregnant after years of baroness? How many times did they almost turn back out of doubt? Or fear? How many people tried to talk them out of seeing this ‘prophet’? What did it cost them to come?
Now imagine how many people did turn back home? How many people listened to the lie that Jesus was just another man? Listened to the lie that it wasn’t worth the trip? How many people didn’t come?
As I considered this I began to think about how often I don’t come. How many times to I try to do things on my own? How many times do I fight my own battles? How many times do I just make my own decisions without first answering the call to come?
And if I answered the call to come? The call to come meet Him in that quiet place. The invitation to come to Him with all my cares and worries. The call to come to Him for rest, protection, and unspeakable joy. If I truly answered the call to come every day, every moment what would the cost be? And oh what a benefit it would be to faithfully answer the call to come!
The Rend Collective song The Cost says “I’ve counted up the cost and you are worth it”. The cost is all of me. But the reward is all of Him.
So will you come?
