Large crowds were traveling with Jesus, and turning to them he said: “If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even their own life—such a person cannot be my disciple. And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.”
“Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won’t you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it? For if you lay the foundation and are not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule you, saying, ‘This person began to build and wasn’t able to finish.’”

As hunting season is upon us, I find it interesting to hear stories of those who hunt for big game. Take deer and elk hunting, for example. There are a few different levels of hunts, depending on if you own your own land, how much time you have to commit, overall health and fitness, and the type of game you are seeking. The weather also plays a factor. For some, they are satisfied with camping just off the beaten path and taking a few hikes around to see what they can find. Others will camp farther in and hike up, stake out an area, and then lie in wait. Still others will backpack in with horses or on foot and stay a week in the wilderness to find their animals. Typically, the more preparation and the farther you are willing to go, the better odds you have of finding an animal.

On one trip with my son, Jeremiah, we were hiking around the mountains by a river, and woke up early to get into position before sunrise. We ran into a park ranger who was off-duty and hunting. He claimed he hiked 3 miles in (and this is significant elevation changes), shot an elk, packed out a third of it the day before and buried the rest. He was now, the following morning, heading back out again to pick up additional meat. This was all by himself. Pretty intense.

Jesus is very popular at this time in his ministry; and why not? He is healing, casting out demons, challenging the arrogant and pompous Jewish leaders … he is a leader for the common man! And yet, in the midst of all of his fame, he cautions his followers: to truly follow me, you must be willing to give up everything! Not just your possessions, but also the relationships you rely on, the traditions you hold dear, even the family time you covet most. He did not say to neglect these relationships here. He said you must be willing to, at times, sacrifice them to follow him. I see the people following Jesus like the casual hunter, they are willing to seek out their reward (big game), but only if it does not require much preparation, planning, and sacrifice. They will do the “day camping” in safe spots, but they have not yet decided to trust him to follow him into the unknown and wild parts of spiritual life.

And so he gives them an example: imagine building a tower, but not planning ahead and budgeting for the materials, the labor, and the contingencies of the build. In the end, when it stands uncompleted, you would be looked at as much more foolish than when you started.

So, as I prayed today for insight as to what God wanted to tell me, the words “Deeper Still” resonated in my mind. He wants to take me on greater adventures, on deeper hikes after “spiritual big game”, he wants to show me a much more amazing walk with him, full of spiritual vibrancy and excitement! However, I must be willing to make the sacrifices. I must be willing to go DEEPER STILL! The benefit is that I have an expert guide.

I have often wondered since the day I met that park ranger (who clearly knew the terrain like the back of his hand and where the elk were): What would it have been like to follow him into the mountains? Of course I would have needed to be in better shape, have better gear, etc.

What will it be like as I prepare to follow Jesus into the rough and challenging terrain of my spiritual life, where the challenges are far bigger and the rewards far greater? I don’t know, but in order to do so, I must count the cost and be fully committed and prepared.

Lord, thank you for not being a leader who settles for second-best efforts with me. You want all I have, my 100% commitment to your plan and your ways. Wherever you decide to lead, I will continue to count the costs. But really, where can I go but follow you? “Simon Peter answered him, ‘Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.’” (‭‭John‬ ‭6‬:‭68‬)