I’m a couple of days behind so maybe no one will read this. But I know just from personal experience that God first wants commitment from me, then he will help me to sort out what ever it is in his time and in his way. When I look back over my life so far, God has done nothing but enhance and better my life. Perhaps, if the man had said yes to Jesus, Jesus would have said we’ll pass by your home so that you can see your family. He is a loving God, not a tyrrant who seeks to hurt us.

Surely for us the challenge is to carry on in work we know we have begun for God: work He has set for us to do. Jesus probably could read more of his promising would-be follower than we can know , perhaps he was looking to wriggle out of commitment(?) We do know that while Jesus knew what he had to do, and went forward with all determination, he never actually lost touch with his own mother - she was there at the cross. So, hand to plough: eyes on the mark!
Richard.

1 Kings 19:20 “And he left the oxen and ran after Elijah and said, “Let me kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow you.” And he said to him, “Go back again, for what have I done to you?”
Once again, the words of Jesus echo some words from the Hebrew scriptures.  (Elisha was, interestingly, ploughing at the time of this incident.)  Jesus, or course, knew the scriptures intimately, so this is another example where a difficult saying perhaps can be better understood by looking back to a possible root in our “Old” Testament.

This scripture emphasises the importance of giving priority to the will of God, and we are warned of the danger in giving priority to other things.

We must remember, however, that God’s will includes doing all the mundane things which are needed in everyday life.  The way to discern God’s will is through prayer, and if we offer each day of our lives to God He will guide us to do His will.

I feel immensely comforted that I’m not the only one w!ho has found this verse so challenging and difficult! May God enable us all to hear His voice more clearly this week and follow Him more closely in whatever situation we find ourselves in!

the difference between an experienced ploughman and a novice

Yes, I would, really I would, right now I would.  I mean it, really I do, but, it’s just that first of all …..Well, I’ve got this quite important business on just now, one or two, you know, quite serious problems to sort out, commitments, other people, family, that sort of thing, I mean, you can’t let people down, can you? - honour bound I am, or else I would, straight away.  If only I were free to, I would right now, not a moment’s hesitation.  I will, really I will, just as soon as I can …

If we are committed to God, he comes first. This should help us to love others as God loves us. In practical terms, God is our motivation to act and respond to the situations in which he places us day by day. Loving does mean letting go of our selfish attitudes. With God’s grace He will enable us to do this.

We don’t know how big this person’s family was, or how long it would have taken to say farewell. Quite possibly, the person would never have returned. I think the lesson here is against a half-hearted commitment to Christ, a ‘yes, but’. I don’t believe Jesus is asking all of us to abandon our homes. In most cases caring for those we love is part of Christ’s calling for us, and the Bible upholds this. There may be rare cases where following Christ does mean us making tough decisions about issues like this, but for most of us, all we are asked is to love Christ, listen to him and respond wholly.

I Have friends that go back beyond my conversion and they neither understand nor care for my faith and assume that I am the same “spinky” as before.They want me to be and do of old and I struggle to keep a balance but know full well that the only true path is straight ahead. This is a trial,it is my burden and with Gods help I will stay true and stand strong with Christ…I pray that Gods light will shine down upon these people and I will be there for them.That is the future.. Onwards!

I am struggling to understand todays verse. I can maybe understand if I read it to mean that you put the past behind you and move on living God’s word, but I am finding it very difficult that Jesus asked for the family to be left without goodbyes. I must be misunderstanding, maybe taking it too literally. Surely we are supposed to love one another, look after those who rely on us- how then could we be asked to leave? Is this perhaps a metaphor calling for the spiritual side of us to follow more closely, or am I twisting the meaning to fit what I want because I find this one too difficult?

As a mother and wife I can’t relate to this at all. An impromptu mission call involving leaving the family without a farewell would be impossible for me. I know God desires our complete commitment but I have always thought being a submissive wife and faith nurturing mother is part of this and would not be looked upon as ‘being unfit for the kingdom’! Very troubling stuff!