What are you willing to give up for Jesus?

You know that feeling you get when you are totally out of your element – your palms get sweaty and it seems like the room you’re in is shrinking?  That’s how I felt when I found myself sleeping on the ground next to 60 high schoolers in a nation that is totally different from my own.  The high schoolers couldn’t speak much english, so communication was difficult. I was totally out of my element and it wasn’t just 1 night, but a week long camp that my outreach team was leading.

I was about to learn what surrender really looks like.

My role in the camp was to teach about surrendering all things to Jesus and saying yes to him no matter what the cost might be. I had no idea that I was about to learn from them what surrender really looks like.

At the end of my teaching, most of the students kneeled at the cross – bringing something that they wanted to surrender to Jesus.  This was incredible to see in a nation where most people have never heard the gospel!  One particular boy traveled very far from his village in the mountains, even during a Hindu holiday, to attend this bible seminar rather than participate in rituals with his family. This took tremendous courage.

This boy knew that Jesus was worth everything.

In the middle of worship during this seminar, his mother came in – she yelled at him, trying to pull him out the door of the church. She had been afraid that he would make a decision to become a Christian, and now it had finally happened. He refused to come, so as she left she disowned him from the family.

This boy knew that Jesus was worth everything, and this gave him the courage he needed to say yes to God in the face of being disowned by his family.

If he can do that, what are we able to surrender to God?  I thought I was giving up a lot for Jesus being in such an uncomfortable place, but I was so challenged seeing what this boy gave up – he counted the cost and decided that Jesus is worth everything.  What cost are we willing to pay to be a disciple of Jesus?

 

If you would like to learn more about what it means to actively pursue Jesus, come join us for a Discipleship Training School (DTS)!

Ready to make the jump.

At YWAM Montana-Lakeside, we are all about doing whatever it takes to know God and to make Him known, together! We’d love to help you make that next step in your global missions education. Apply now!

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