Before the dates for my denomination’s camp meeting were ever announced, before calendars filled up and schedules collided, I had already made plans.
About six months ago, I booked a vacation.
Not because I wanted to get away.
Not because I needed a break.
But because, in many ways, it’s a Make-A-Wish trip for my son, Vinnie.
For ten years now, he’s battled bone cancer.
Ten years.
He’s getting skinnier, yet somehow keeping his weight. The doctors can explain it medically; I just know what my eyes see. And what I see is a young man fighting a war that never seems to end.
So every year I load up the family and point the car south toward the Gulf Coast.
Fourteen hours.
Fourteen long hours.
The Gulf of Mexico.
Orange Beach, Alabama.
Gulf Shores, Alabama.
Sunshine.
Salt air.
Rolling waves.
Pelicans gliding across the water like little prophets of peace.
And every single time we go, something happens.
Vinnie comes back stronger.
Kaylee comes back refreshed.
Leo and Sydney come back smiling.
I come back breathing easier.
We all do.
The drive down hurts.
The drive back hurts even more.
Because you’re leaving something behind.
You’re leaving serenity.
You’re leaving tranquility.
You’re leaving peace.
But the pain is worth the destination.
And that’s when I think about Jesus.
Jesus talked about counting the cost.
He spoke of a king sitting down with his advisors before going to war, calculating whether he had enough strength to face an advancing army.
Count the cost.
Calculate the price.
Know what’s required before you begin.
And then Jesus applied that principle to discipleship.
He said if you’re going to follow Me, you’d better know what you’re signing up for.
Because following Christ costs something.
Are we willing to surrender our plans?
Our dreams?
Our reputations?
Our comfort?
Our pride?
Would we give up our Isaac like Abraham?
Would we surrender our son if God asked?
Would we surrender our future?
Our job?
Our popularity?
Would we endure being mocked by the world?
It’s one thing not to be conformed to the world.
It’s another thing entirely when the world turns around and laughs at you because you belong to Jesus.
Count the cost.
The world says, “Live your truth.”
Jesus says, “Follow Me.”
The world says, “Do what feels right.”
Jesus says, “Take up your cross.”
The world says, “Your will be done.”
Jesus says, “Thy will be done.”
Truth over lies.
His way over our way.
His kingdom over our kingdom.
His life over our life.
Thy kingdom come.
Thy will be done.
On earth.
In earth.
In me.
As it is in heaven.
And today, I’m not counting the cost.
I’ve already counted it.
I know what it takes to get to Orange Beach.
I know what it costs to get to the Gulf.
The gasoline.
The hotel.
The weariness.
The aching back.
The fourteen-hour drive.
I’ve counted that cost.
But I’ve also counted another cost.
The cost of heaven.
And here’s the good news:
I don’t have to pay it.
Because somebody already did.
The nails paid it.
The cross paid it.
The blood paid it.
Jesus paid it.
The price of my salvation was not silver or gold.
It was the precious blood of the Son of God.
And because He paid what I could never pay…
Because He purchased what I could never afford…
Because He conquered what I could never conquer…
I get to go.
Not because I’m good enough.
Not because I’m strong enough.
Not because I’m worthy enough.
I get to go because Jesus made a way.
And if you’ll trust Him…
If you’ll believe Him…
If you’ll surrender to Him…
You get to go too.
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Luke 14:25-28,30-35 NIV
Large crowds were traveling with Jesus, and turning to them he said: [26] “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. [27] And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple. [28] “Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won’t you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it? [30] saying, ‘This person began to build and wasn’t able to finish.’ [31] “Or suppose a king is about to go to war against another king. Won’t he first sit down and consider whether he is able with ten thousand men to oppose the one coming against him with twenty thousand? [32] If he is not able, he will send a delegation while the other is still a long way off and will ask for terms of peace. [33] In the same way, those of you who do not give up everything you have cannot be my disciples. [34] “Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? [35] It is fit neither for the soil nor for the manure pile; it is thrown out. “Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear.”