THIS IS NO MYSTICAL VACATION

Read Matthew 8.18-34

When He got into the boat, His disciples followed Him. And behold, there arose a great storm… (Matthew 8.23-24)

What a deal! It only cost Deb and me twenty bucks to fly from Dover, Delaware, to Izmir, Turkey on a military transport! Only one problem: the military reserves the right to change the flight plan at any time. So we landed in Incirlik. After two days on a hand full of pita bread, a 14-hour bus ride halfway across Turkey, and the wonderful feeling that you may not survive this “great vacation”, we made it to Izmir. But we had been adequately warned that the flight could change at any time. I wonder if we‘re warning people about the real costs associated with being a disciple. Jesus did. He warned people, “…if you follow Me, you’re going through some tough places and tough times“. We know that ultimately following the Master is worth the price. But let’s tell folks the truth: this not a mystical vacation.