It may not always be orderly or neat, but people line up for the boxing day sales,
they queue outside Aldi before the weekly “Special Buys” go on sale,
there’s even the few faithful still crowding around apple stores when a new iPhone is released.

Photo by Hal Gatewood on Unsplash

We’ll go out of our way for the things we value. We’ll seek them out,
wait for them,
push through the crowd.

When was the last time you did that to be close to Jesus?

In Luke’s gospel we read about people “crowding around Jesus and listening to the word of God.” [Luke 5:1]
They wanted to hear him.
They had the hunger, the desire, the passion.

It’s easy to get comfortable, to think you’re fine just as you are.
It’s easy to get complacent, to think what you’ve done in the past is enough.

If you’ve never sought Jesus,
if it’s been a while,
then now is the time to press in,
crowd round.

You'll find what you're looking for.

Assets.
Influence.
Skills.
Possessions.

We tend to value people based on what they have.
And so collecting, accumulating and competing are the norm.

But there's an alternative, a voice that declares,
"life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.” [Luke 12:15]

Jesus has a different economy:
Give up everything... follow me.

Not to pursue poverty, prudence or purity,
but instead to peel away the pollution of possessions.

Worth isn't based on what you have,
it's based on what you gain when you give it all away.

This week's devotional is a chance to count the cost of giving it all away.
Share your story with us on what it's like to be #givingup

In the immortal words of Darryl Kerrigan (and many before him), "a man's home is his castle." And what The Castle reminds us is that a house is more valuable than it's location.



So it's not where you build that ultimately matters, but how you build. 

A house with solid foundations survives whatever is thrown at it;
whether howling wind,
or raging water.

No matter what you are building -
a relationship, marriage or family;
a ministry, career or education;
a life of faith, purpose or meaning -
the question is: what foundation are you building on?

That's the point of Jesus' question in Luke 6:
"Why do you call me, 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do what I say?" [Luke 6:46]
How can you say you're following me, when you aren't listening to me?
What are you building on - do you even have a foundation?

If you build a relationship on your expectations and needs,
you're actually building without a foundation at all.
If you build a ministry on free coffee and fancy logos,
you're actually building without a foundation at all.
If you build your faith on good morals and regular church attendance,
Jesus isn't impressed, you're building with sand on sand.

Winds may howl and waters may rage, but the way you lay your foundations determines whether the life that you're building will stand. It also sets the course for the way you'll continue to build.

What you build it on,
you will have to maintain it on.
Build it on what matters.

You are immensely capable, you are talented and full of potential, you have the opportunity to do just about anything, in any place. So the question is not where to build your house, but how. You need to decide what matters. You need to take a stand on what really counts.



For some this is a reminder,
                             an encouragement to keep on pursuing what matters,
                                                                to keep on pushing out into the unexpected.
For others this is a challenge,
                               an invitation to start or restart planning your foundation,
                                                      to start or restart pushing out into the unexplored.

For me, I know enough about Jesus that I think he's all that matters. But if I'm going to take the challenging words of Luke 6 seriously, then it's more than just acknowledging him - it's a life of obedient trust, expectant hope and everyday sacrifice.
I've done enough thinking, studying and talking,
it's time for listening, trusting and walking.