Let The Dead Bury Their Own Dead

[21] Then another of His disciples said to Him, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.” [22] But Jesus said to him, “Follow Me, and let the dead bury their own dead.” — Matthew 8:21 - 22 NKJV

So many of us like giving God excuses when He tells us to do something. We look at the circumstances surrounding our lives, how busy we are and how unpleasant we feel to cast off God’s commands. While this attitude is common to see these days, especially among young Christians, it dates way back to the time of Jesus.

While Jesus was ministering to the crowds, a teacher of the law came to Jesus and said, “Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go” (Matthew 8:19). But Jesus replied, “… Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head” – Matthew 8:20 NKJV. The man wanted to follow Jesus, but Jesus was thinking about how this man could bear the discomfort of sleeping outside home for long because of the calling. Jesus knew that man couldn’t do it.

But a second one came up, desiring to follow Jesus. As for him, he pleaded with Jesus to bury his dead father first. But Jesus replied, “Follow Me, and let the dead bury their own dead.” It sounds as if Jesus wasn’t interested in that fellow giving his father a befitting burial. But that’s not true. Jesus was focused on making him risk losing family relationships for the gospel’s sake. Today, it’s still happening. You’ll hardly hear of the family members of men of God who’ve risen so high in the ministry. Why? Because they’ve paid the price to follow God despite the abandonment of family members.

“Let the dead bury their own dead” means leave everything behind to follow Jesus. If you refuse, they’ll soon turn to a trash in your walk with God. There are some people you have to reduce or stop communicating with just to increase your time of fellowship with the Lord.

Avoid carrying what God has told you to leave behind with you because of discomfort or uncertainty in your life. You’ll not need it in time to come. Submit yourself to God wholeheartedly; for He’s the giver of your vision and knows how to raise you from a dungeon to a place of greatness.

You’re a blessing.

Prayer

Father, help me to eliminate my link to everything past and present that’s not needed to keep me on track in my race of faith in Christ Jesus. Give me a strong decisive mindset to follow your ways closely, every day and every time. In the name of Jesus. Amen!

Devotional Code: KGD – 2023 – 156