Are We Able to Commit Fully to Jesus?

It is certainly one thing to say we are committed to something or someone, and something else entirely to be committed. As someone that enjoys sports and have a son that at one time was considering playing college sports, I see and know of the “commitments” made by young athletes to play for a school and then “decommit” later for one reason or another, usually because that got a “better” offer from somewhere else. What is that saying about the commitment that was originally made?

In Matthew 20, the mother of James and John asked Jesus about them sitting at His right and left hand in heaven. Jesus’ response was one of checking on the commitment of the men.

“²²Jesus answered, ‘You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I am to drink?’ They said to him, ‘We are able.’” – Matthew 20:22 (ESV)

Jesus was asking the James and John to fully commit to Him and they did.

“²³He said to them, ‘You will drink my cup, but to sit at my right hand and at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father.’” – Matthew 20:23 (ESV)

And as Jesus was in tune with God the Father, He acknowledged that they were indeed committed fully to Him and to the task of spreading the gospel. And then He tells them that the choice of who sits where was not His decision to make. That God the Father was the decision maker and had already predetermined all and who would be where.

My take away here is that it is up to me to commit to Jesus and then just stay with it and do the work He asks of me. Once committed, I am committed and it is my duty to honor that commitment to the end. There is no “better” offer coming nor should I be looking for one. It will not be easy and certainly there may/will be times that I am frustrated with the timing and outcomes I can see, but God sees and knows way further into the upcoming than I and therefore I am to simply trust that what is happening is in His plan.

What commitments have you made to God? Where are you in relation to honoring those commitments? What if you stick with your commitment, what are your thoughts on how it might play out?