Next, God’s Call Is Costly

The LORD had said to Abram, “Leave your country, your people and your father's household and go to the land I will show you. (Genesis 12:1)

Another aspect of God’s call is that it is costly. Abraham was called to leave his country, his people, and his father’s household. Abraham probably lived in Ur his whole life until then. His friends, family, and contacts were there. His job was there. Apparently, his family was fairly wealthy. In order to follow God’s call, he needed to leave everything behind.

However, this is not only true of Abraham’s call but ours as well. Jesus said,

“If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it. What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit his very self? (Luke 9:23–25)

If anyone is going to follow Christ, he must deny himself and take up his cross. When Christ called to the rich man to follow him, he told him to sell everything (Matt 19). Riches would hinder his full devotion to the Lord, and therefore, he needed to let them go. The cost of God’s call includes denying the pleasures of sin and denying our will in order to submit to his. All these were included in Abraham’s call.

That does not mean you need to take a vow of poverty to be saved. It means you must be willing to give up anything that is standing between you and Jesus. It could be you job (“I can’t go into ministry, I have a family to feed…”). If you trust God and serve Him Faithfully, He could provide you more resources than you could ever earn outside of God’s Will.

Some cannot discern and follow God’s call because they are not willing to sacrifice. They are not willing to give up career goals or leave family, home, and country. They are not willing to suffer and be uncomfortable. Some simply will not forsake sin (that is probably the BIG issue). If we are going to follow Christ, we must deny ourselves and take up our cross.

God called the rich man to let go of his riches. He called the disciples to leave their careers. He called Abraham to leave his land, home, and family. 

What is God calling you to sacrifice in order to fulfill his call?