Daily Delight

Distracted by the things I needed to do when I got home from church, I almost missed my pastor’s words: “If you want to be a true disciple, you give and you don’t think about the consequences.” The to-do list that I had been rattling off in my head halted as he continued speaking. Immediately, I felt goosebumps raise all over my body. My mind started racing in a whole new direction and I thought that my heart might just explode out of my chest. I started flashing to memories where I had given my time, talents and even my heart, only to face painful consequences later on.Give and don’t think about the consequences…?! Surely, my pastor used these words for dramatic effect, right? On my way home from church, it became clear to me that he was not just trying to make a dramatic exit – he was quite serious. My panic started to worsen as the truth sank in. The “what if's?” fired off in rapid succession. What if God asks me to do something radical? What if His demands never end? What if I end up in a foreign country with only a Bible and backpack full of clothes to my name? Eventually, I calmed myself down and my thoughts were drawn to the apostles. When Christ chose His first apostles, He asked them to leave the shore and cast their nets out into the deep prompting the greatest journey they could possibly ever embark on. (Luke 5:4) Following His command and seeing His goodness, the apostles left behind everything they had ever known to follow Jesus! If the apostles could leave behind their entire livelihood, why am I so afraid of surrendering my own plans to the Lord?God never ceases to draw us closer to Himself. He tells us to not be afraid. (Luke 5:10) He draws us away from the shore to cast us out into the deep- to give our lives completely, without fear of the cost or consequences. He longs for us to abandon our fears and say, "Here I am! Send me." (Isaiah 6:8, ESV).So, will you? 

About the Author

Hannah Aulbach

Hannah is a 21-year-old college student from St. Louis, MO, currently finishing up her undergrad in Child & Family Development at Missouri State University. She has worked to keep Christ at the forefront during her college experience, and she hopes to inspire other young women to join her on a Christ-driven journey.

Hannah loves serving the Lord through mission work, and she has spent the past two summers as a local missionary sharing the Gospel with children and teens in the St. Louis area. When she isn’t catching up on projects for school, Hannah can be found on Chick-Fil-A runs with friends, hiking new trails, jamming to her favorite praise & worship, working out, or working on a new painting project.

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