Luke 9:61-62 And another also said, Lord, I will follow you; but let me first go bid them farewell, which are at home at my house.… This third character, like the first, volunteers his declaration of attachment to the Saviour, appending to it a condition — "Lord, I will follow Thee, BUT let me first go bid them farewell, which are at my house." But — ominous word, treacherous poison, undermining the best resolves, and spoiling the fairest speeches. It is said of that he used to say, "Lord, convert me, but not yet." "Lord, I will follow Thee, But I am not yet good enough." If this be the utterance of real humility, know thou that it is not unworthiness, but unwillingness that alone disqualifies us from following Jesus. It is unconditional determination that He demands. D'Aubigne, the great church historian, says that when he was a student at college, he was much beset by doubts and difficulties in relation to questions connected with Divine truth; and it was his wont to repair to an old Christian, in very humble life, whose rich experience had often served to help the young student. But at length, upon preferring some grave difficulty, D'Aubigne received an unexpected rebuff, for his aged friend replied, "Young man, I shall not answer anymore of these questions of yours. If I settle them one day, new perplexities arise the next day. The great question for you is — 'Do you mean to belong altogether to Christ?'" That is the shortest way of setting at rest these misgivings. Give yourselves to the Saviour, and He will smooth your path, and show the way. (W. G. Lewis.) Parallel Verses KJV: And another also said, Lord, I will follow thee; but let me first go bid them farewell, which are at home at my house. |
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