I changed my mind about the purchase, the cost was too high.

Today’s Gospel reading is about counting the cost. The cost of being a Christian. We read of people in Afghanistan, India, Africa, and the Philippines, being imprisoned or killed because they are Christians. That is their crime, they bare the name of Jesus Christ so they are victimised. What a cost they face for their faith.

The situation has not changed in 2000 years.

Most of us do not face that sort of persecution or cost, but don’t be fooled there is still a cost, of being a disciple.

There is the giving up of the things we would like to do, just to please ourselves.

There is the desire to argue when someone tells you that you are no good, and doing things wrong.

The acceptance of hurt when others criticize.

The pain when things go wrong, and the blame is levelled at you.

The cost of demands of patience, time, and commitment.

Finding forgiveness for those who injure us.

Not forgetting the financial cost of giving to others.

Yes, there is a cost and as we undertake to do what we feel God has called us to do, we have to count that cost, and as the Gospel tells us: Consider if that is an acceptable cost we are willing to pay.

Each of us is called to Love God; the commandment is to ‘Love God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind and with all your strength’.

That may well mean that there are times when it will take all your Heart, all your Mind, and all your Strength. That is the time we have to keep our eyes focused on Christ.

In the days when I was young and fit I loved to see the sight from the top of certain mountain peaks; those glorious breathtaking views, climbing in The Lake District and North Wales particularly. To get the best views you had to reach the top of the mountains, and that took effort. You could say that the climb was the cost of the view I loved to see.

My Love of God is a very real and genuine thing to me, but I have to make an effort, to keep focused on him and not let others take my focus off. It is easy to be distracted.

I heard Bishop Steven say a short time ago, that if we are to receive the Love of God we have to accept some of his pain, and I believe that to be true.

This does not mean we are always right, our reading for today from the Book of Jeremiah, talks of the hands that fashion the pot of clay.

Several years ago Val and I were with friends on holiday in The Potteries. It was half term and we came upon a demonstration of throwing a lump of clay and shaping it into something. There was a line of school children all lined up to have a turn, so I asked if there was an age limit, could I join the queue? So I fulfilled a wish to try something I have never tried, and lined up with a group of 10year olds and made a pot.

The potter fashions the lump of clay with his hands and shapes it to his desire, however things can go wrong and there is some imperfection, (in my case when I tried it, quite a lot.) So the potter pounds the clay and starts again.

I wonder how the clay feels about being squashed and then reformed. I believe God takes us and reshapes us to better equip us for the work he would have us do.

But there is a difference between loving God, and doing what he wants us to do.

Loving a view has beauty and peace and tranquillity. Loving God is different. He talks of loving Him and then taking up His cross and following Him, of experiencing some of His pain. It is not beautiful, or peaceful or tranquil.

I want to be a beautiful vessel for God, my Potter, but I don’t want to be pounded, and pushed around, and criticised, particularly when I am doing what I think is right. But isn’t that the challenge that God gives to each one of us. His way is not easy, He never said it was.

I read the other day a suggestion of the Devil’s Beatitudes for the Believers in Christ. This may help bear the cost!

Blessed are those who are too tired, too busy, to do any more for God.
Blessed are the touchy, they may stop loving God.
Blessed are those who are waiting to be asked, they may be still waiting.
Blessed are the troublemakers, for they achieve little.
Blessed are the gossipers, for they cause strife.
Blessed are the easily offended, for they will quit.
Blessed are those who interfere, for they just cause disruption.
Blessed are those who think they know it all, they show they know little.
Blessed are they who profess to love God, but hate their brothers and sisters, because they are mine.
Blessed are they who think this only refers to others.

Let us pray:

God grant that you will mould us and fill us, and help us to accept the cost, with the strength that you give us, when you fill us.

Amen