Words Of Encouragement To Start The Day ( Tuesday 9/29/09)

Today’s Devotional Written By Young Woman whose Purpose Is By God’s Design…Tracy Koweh

Are You Willing to Pay the Price?

Galatians 6:4-5 (New Living Translation)

⁴ Pay careful attention to your own work, for then you will get the satisfaction of a job well done, and you won’t need to compare yourself to anyone else. ⁵ For we are each responsible for our own conduct.

As a loan officer I process all types of loans; signature, mortgage, consolidation and auto. It never amazes me at the applications I see for cars that cost more that a monthly day care bill or rental note. These young people attempt to get this big expensive cars so they appear to be in a higher status than they are and can afford to live at. They haven't honestly calculated the cost.

They haven't thought about the sacrifices they'll have to make in order to keep up the payments on the car. They haven't figured gas, insurance and maintenance into their budget. All they see is the image they are portraying. They figure if they drive what the ballers are driving, then it will make them a baller, but they are so sadly mistaken.

So many times in our spiritual lives that's what we do. We go after a status that our spirit doesn't have enough collateral to back. We want the relationship with God that our brother/sister has, but we are not honestly calculating the cost. We ask God when is our turn going to come for the house, the promotion, and the new car, but we never ask God what the requirements or sacrifices of praise it will be to get them. We have a don't ask- - don't tell policy when it comes to paying the price for glory. Even something as simple as writing these blogs, come with a price- - - a huge price. The pastor, the praise singers, the worship dancers, the ministers, the ushers, the nursery workers, all have a price they are paying. Don’t just see the praise, see the pressure. Don’t just crave the gratification, understand there is a crucifixion.

Today let us not feign the fame, but instead let us pursue the cross. Let us determine to give God that which He is asking of us and not our brother or our sister. Let us choose to walk out our destiny and the path which God as paved just for us. Jesus cost was Calvary, do you know what yours is?