Jesus Heals Many + The Cost of Following Jesus

Passage: Matthew 8:14-22

Jesus Heals Many
14 When Jesus came into Peter’s house, he saw Peter’s mother-in-law lying in bed with a fever. 15 He touched her hand and the fever left her, and she got up and began to wait on him.
16 When evening came, many who were demon-possessed were brought to him, and he drove out the spirits with a word and healed all the sick. 17 This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah:

“He took up our infirmities
and bore our diseases.”[a]

The Cost of Following Jesus
18 When Jesus saw the crowd around him, he gave orders to cross to the other side of the lake. 19 Then a teacher of the law came to him and said, “Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.”
20 Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.” 21 Another disciple said to him, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.” 22 But Jesus told him, “Follow me, and let the dead bury their own dead.”

Thoughts
As I was reading through these passages, I saw that I had highlighted the words "and she rose and began to serve him". It occured to me then, and occurs to me now, what a noteworthy scene this is. Jesus walks in, holds her hand, and her fever, which had made her bed-ridden, disappears. Her response? Service. She begins to immediately serve him, the passage says. Her response was one of joy and gratitude, no doubt. I think about this, and try to put it into the context of my own life...I would say that it rings pretty true for me, and for any believer. God heals us and makes a profound impact on our live, and our response is the desire to serve and to follow him. Super cool. It's also really amazing that all he does is touch her hand. But on the other hand, why does he even do that? He shows in other cases that he doesn't even need to be in the same room to heal someone...he can do that remotely. I believe that Jesus likes to touch and be close to those he heals to demonstrate his love and his compassion. Super cool.

As for the second passage, this really puts a lead weight in my heart. Many people come up to him, astounded at his sign and miracles, saying "I want to follow you! Let me follow you!" This to me feels a lot like when I meet a successful entrepreneur or business person and I have to introduce myself and try to get myself involved with them somehow. It must have been a lot crazier with Jesus walking around healing people left and right. Anyway, the part that's hard for me to swallow is when Jesus talks about how hard it will be to follow him...how you literally have to drop everything in your life and surrender your destiny to him...

I'm not sure if he was trying to deliver a point, or if he was actually serious. And I'm also unsure how this should be interpreted in this day and age. How do I really and truly honor God with my life and passions and gifts? How do I do it with my career?

I still feel as though I'm more occupied with my dreams and my hunger for success, for myself, than for God. Of course I want to glorify God with my passions, but my motivation is still not entirely Jesus. I can admit to that much. Tough. What would God say? Hmmm...

Prayer
Father, I pray that you would give me clarity in my heart and mind. Am I doing okay with the way I'm following you? Am I not giving all of me yet? What do I need to do? How can I be a fully committed follower? What do I need to sacrifice, if anything?

Lord, more than anything, I pray simply that you would change my motivations. Change my heart. Help me to want you. Put in me the desire to honor and to love you above all. I really ask that you would reset my sights on life, with you at the center, and with everything else really being built around that and looking up to that.

Thank you Father, for being good to me. I pray you would reveal to me my purpose.

In Jesus name I pray,

Amen.