"you must be Mine."

These words were precisely what I needed to hear today.  I remember teaching about this passage when I co-led a fellowship group where we studied the book of Luke.  I was particularly struck by this passage and today I'm struck again.  That Oswald Chambers always knows how to word the truth along with the Truth to teach me exactly the thing I need to hear.  Here goes...

“If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple” ( Luke 14:26 ). He was not saying that this person cannot be good and upright, but that he cannot be someone over whom Jesus can write the word Mine. Any one of the relationships our Lord mentions in this verse can compete with our relationship with Him. I may prefer to belong to my mother, or to my wife, or to myself, but if that is the case, then, Jesus said, “[You] cannot be My disciple.” This does not mean that I will not be saved, but it does mean that I cannot be entirely His... The missionary’s secret is truly being able to say, “I am His, and He is accomplishing His work and His purposes through me.”

Be entirely His!"

I constantly want to feel safe, belonging to another.  I want security in myself or others.  Being on my own, out here where no one I know lives, doing a job I've never done before, it brings about insecurity. Not a comfortable feeling.  I want to cling to that which is not the Lord, but He is saying in order to be my disciple you must be fully Mine.  So, thank you Lord for making me uncomfortable.  Thank you that I can't rely on anything or anyone apart from You.  I need that even if it's uncomfortable for a little while.