Luke 14:26

Remember this post when I had my first fight with homesickness? I sat in my room, cried, read my Bible, listened to sermons, prayed, and called my mom. I am so thankful to have a family that prays for me. A family that not only allows their daughter to move to a foreign country, but supports her in doing so, even though she decided to go a month before. 

My loving mother texted me Luke 14:26, and honestly, instead of helping me feel better, I became frustrated and confused. Naturally, I just put it aside. However, when God wants to teach me something, He brings it into my life again and again. I'm stubborn and He knows that very well. He knows that He needs to repeat lessons in my life because I just won't get it the first time. 

"If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters - yes, even his own life - he cannot be my disciple"

Luke 14:26

Frustrating, am I right? It's hard being away from my family because my family loves me well. We love each other well (most of the time). I have been blessed with a very supportive family. And now, Jesus, you're telling me to hate them? How the heck is that encouraging? Thanks, Mom...? 

Yet, again, this verse popped up this weekend at the missions conference the church held. Pastor Eduardo Buldain explained that Jesus didn't mean to literally hate your family and yourself, but that our priorities need to be in check. For some this may mean that the cost of following Christ means the loss of family. Some families won't support the decision of following Jesus. And in this, we need to be willing to be rejected by our family. 

Praise the Lord, my family does not reject me for following Jesus, but they too are Christ-followers. What a blessing that is! 

Because that is the case, what am I supposed to do with this verse now? 

Jesus may not be calling me to literally hate my family members, but all other things and relationships need to come second to my relationship with Christ. Duh, Nicole. But, this is a lot easier said than done. I need to be ready to part with very dear relationships and the greatest enjoyments in my life, and with life itself, when Jesus calls for it. I'm not there to see my brother grow while he is at college. I'm not going to be there for Thanksgiving. I'm not with my family as we are growing and changing. I don't get to go on walks with my stepmom. I can't just hug my dad when I want, or call my brother and watch Jimmy Fallon videos online. I have parted with my family in this sense. And the closer and closer I get to coming home for Christmas, the harder it gets. 

This is what Jesus is teaching me through this verse. I need to love Christ so much that all other human relationships pale in comparison. 

Indeed, thank you Momma. More importantly, thank you, Jesus.  

On another note, tomorrow I am going out sharing the gospel door-to-door with a team that is hear from Argentina. And I'm super nervous. Door-to-door just isn't my thing. Some people have the gift of evangelism. That's awesome. I don't. I pray that my own anxiousness and worry would be thrown aside, and that God would use me in whatever way to bring glory to Him. I have no idea what that's going to look like, and that probably scares me a little bit too. Please join us in praying that God's presence would be made known in the town of Las Mercedes, that people would come to know Him as their personal Savior, and that they would be discipled.