Your Faith Journey - Finding God Through Words, Song And Praise

Over the past year, our synod’s Publicly Engaged Church Committee has spent a considerable amount of time focusing on the life and work of Dietrich Bonhoeffer.  So, as I studied today’s gospel reading, I was reminded of Bonhoeffer’s book The Cost of Discipleship in which he wrote, “When Christ calls a man, he bids him come and die.”  Bonhoeffer knew discipleship is not easy.  He knew that there comes a time in each person’s faith journey when it is clearly and unequivocally necessary to declare the depth of one’s commitment to Christ.  And, today, we hear Jesus teaching about this aspect of discipleship. Today, we come to a major turning point in Luke’s telling of the Jesus story.  Jesus “sets his face” toward Jerusalem, meaning he sets his face to the cross.  Jesus is resolute and single-minded in purpose.  And, as he and the disciples are on their way, someone asks if he or she can come along.  Eager to follow Jesus, this person says, “I will follow you wherever you go.”  Now, you would think this is someth