“And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. It was fitting to celebrate and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.’”
Luke 15.31-32
When we consider the cost of following Jesus, we can acknowledge that it’s not all pomp and circumstance in the day to day. Life as a follower of Christ can be really hard. We’re not immune to suffering, but rather are refined and made more like Christ when we endure suffering with grace.
We have access to the power of the name of Jesus, and when we call on him in prayer, God is limitless in his abilities and abundantly generous in his provision of peace or joy or comfort or tangible needs. What does it mean to believe deeply that all that God has to offer is ours?
And what does it mean to live generously and hospitably ourselves, honoring the ones around us who have yet to encounter Jesus personally? Or celebrating with and then walking alongside those who newly profess Jesus as Lord? In what ways can we support those who are curious? Seeking? How can we love others well so as to shine the light of Christ in our relationships and encounters with others?
