Luke 9:57-62 (ESV)
As they were going along the road, someone said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.” And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.” To another he said, “Follow me.” But he said, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.” And Jesus said to him, “Leave the dead to bury their own dead. But as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God.” Yet another said, “I will follow you, Lord, but let me first say farewell to those at my home.” Jesus said to him, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.”
Devotional Meditation
Typically, I post an image generated with AI. Not today. This image is 100% real.
Nearly four years ago, our family stood in front of this big, yellow moving truck. On this day, I left behind a good career--a teaching job at a great school with colleagues and students that I loved. On this day, my wife, Natalie, left behind her “country home”--a lovely little plot of five acres where we had raised sheep, chickens, and even a few turkeys. This was the kind of place they write country songs about. A place where you could sit outside on your back porch, sip your coffee, and listen to the sound of the Sequatchie River that ran along the back of the property. On this day, my children left behind the friends that they had made in school and in marching band, the trees that they had climbed so often, and the two boxers and one chihuahua who couldn’t make the trip with us. On this day, we all left behind the comfort of family, the familiarity of the church where we were confirmed, and the guidance of the pastor who had mentored us. On this day, we said goodbye to our life in Chattanooga, TN and then we drove this big yellow truck down the road--looking ahead to the start of our new life in St. Louis, MO.
One of my favorite details about this photo is the wording printed on the side of the truck: “Dedication at every turn.” These last four years, my family has shown me over and over again the consistency of their dedication to this divine calling that will be recognized today. As we prepare to hear the name of the congregation where the Lord is sending me to serve as pastor, I am grateful that the Lord has surrounded me with a wife and children who have followed this calling--not unwillingly--but with true dedication and sacrifice. Over these last four years, they have shown me unfailing love and support. In response to Jesus’ call, they have put their hand to the plow and never looked back.
Over the last four years, this photo has sat near my desk--where I can glance at it often. This photo has been my anchor. Through all the semesters of work and study, all the hours of Greek and Hebrew, all the weeks and months of field work and internship. Through it all, this photo reminds me that this journey has never been mine alone--but ours. And by God’s grace, wherever the next stage of this journey leads, we will answer the call together and follow the road ahead...with dedication at every turn.