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Read: Matthew 8:19-20
Listen: Matthew 8

“Then a teacher of the law came to him and said, ‘Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.’  Jesus replied, ‘Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.’” Matthew 8:19-20

After Jesus heals many people, his popularity begins to spread. Crowds follow him but don’t necessarily believe in him yet. One in the crowd is a teacher of the law who wants to journey with Jesus and his other disciples. However, this man was ill-prepared for the costs of following Jesus. Jesus’s warning to this man is that his ultimate security could no longer be in his occupation or location but must be in Jesus himself.

We all have false securities. Such counterfeit gods can come in the form of family, career, finances, reputation or comfort. When we place our trust and find our security in anything other than God, we have turned a good, God-given gift into a false god that robs us of ultimate trust in the one true God. This was true for this religious teacher and can often be true for us.

TODAY: Take some time to consider what your counterfeit gods may be. Where are you placing undue trust? Where are you seeking a false sense of security? God gives us many good gifts to receive and enjoy. But our ultimate trust must always be in him. Ask God to help you identify what the false gods in your life might be. Journal about what he reveals, and then ask God for forgiveness and grace to more fully trust him and his daily provision.

JESUS IN THE OLD TESTAMENT:

Read Ezekiel 16-17. Highlight anything that points to Jesus. Pay attention to the metaphors for God’s relationship with Israel. Consider how Jesus fulfills the role of faithful bridegroom to his people (Revelation 19:7).