As you know from previous posts, in order to finish building this website I sold my only car and ever since have been hoofing or biking it when I need to get around town.  But I remember the time I went shopping for my very first car.

I of course received lots (and lots and lots, no pun intended =) of advice from my family and friends and fellow church members, some of whom were actually in the car business, true professionals loaded with so much expert knowledge it was coming out of their ears (but thankfully only metaphorically).

I remember one in particular.  I had found a used BMW that fell within my meager budget (barely!) and at the time, in the common folly of youth, my main motivation was to make a statement.  I wouldn’t trade my upbringing for the world but we never had much money the entire time I was growing up, but we had a ton of love and closeness and fun and laughter and great memories and vacations (the one thing my parents were dead-set on saving up for) and most of all a ubiquitous focus on the Bible and church and fellowship – what more could a kid ask for?

A little money to buy a decent car, perhaps. =)  But I digress.  The point is that we and I almost always “went without” so I did feel some sort of subtle need to compensate since I was a teenager with my own job – I was ready to splurge for once in my young life.

And that’s where that car-biz friend from church comes into the story.  It was then and there that he gave me one of the greatest pieces of advice in my entire life – not just up to then but ever since.  He said this:

“Don’t just think about the purchase price but also THINK ABOUT THE MAINTENANCE COSTS.”

While it’s very understandable that a teenager – and especially one whose upbringing rarely involved discussing much less possessing material things of any kind much less cars – wouldn’t have known about that, the fellow from my church did since he was in the business and had seen countless proud BMW or Porsche or Mercedes owners have to sell them after a repair bill or two.

Thankfully I heeded his wise counsel, but it got me thinking that this is exactly how it is with the Christian life.

I think every believer will agree that not even the excitement of one’s first car can come close to comparing with the utter joy when one’s eyes are first opened to the truth of the gospel of Christ.  Not even close.  But there’s a similar risk:  that one will forget to consider the “maintenance costs” of that decision.  You see, just as the Lord promised that an eternity in heaven awaits for all who put their faith in Him and Him alone for salvation from our sins, He also promises a few other things.

Like this:  “in the world you have tribulation” (John 16:33)

And this:  “He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; and he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me.  And he who does not take his cross and follow after me is not worthy of Me.  He who has found his life shall lose it, and he who has lost his life for My sake shall find it.” (Matthew 10:37-39; 16:24-26)

And this:  “And indeed, ALL who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus WILL BE PERSECUTED.” (2 Timothy 3:12)

In other words, the “maintenance costs”.

So He says this:  “For which one of you, when he wants to build a tower, does not first sit down and CALCULATE THE COST, to see if he has enough to complete it?  Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation, and is not able to finish, all who observe it begin to ridicule him, saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.'” (Luke 14:28-30)

But thankfully also this:

• “But the one who endures to the end shall be saved.” (Matthew 24:13)
• “No temptation [or tribulation or trial or adversity] has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, that you may be able to endure it.” (1 Corinthians 10:13)
• “And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance, and perseverance proven character, and proven character hope; and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.” (Romans 5:3-5)
• “Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.  And let endurance have its perfect result, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” (James 1:2-4)
• “And after you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you.” (1 Peter 5:10)
• “For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pain of childbirth together until now.  For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us.” (Romans 8:22 then verse 18)

Thankfully I took that man’s wise advice, calculated the cost, and decided not to buy that used BMW.

Thankfully I took that Man’s wise advice, calculated the cost, and decided to follow Him.  To lose my life, my “self”, my pleasure, my desires, and follow His later example in a certain garden as He stood at death’s door but declared decisively and dramatically His choice in the matter, when to the Father said the Son, “Not MY will but THINE be done.” (Luke 22:42)

This means that instead of focusing on doing what WE want (or more accurately, what we think we want… which often turns out to be two different things), we subjugate that and focus on doing what GOD wants.  Not on OUR will but rather on HIS will… not on the basis of mere assumption or subtly skewed self-interest but rather as set forth in the Bible:  God’s will and God’s Word are absolutely and eternally inextricable.  Always “on the same page” (no pun intended), NEVER in contradiction, not even a little bit, none, nada, zero, zip.  It’s NOT about ignoring our will, it’s about submitting our will to His.  It’s about making OUR will secondary and HIS will primary in our life.

And you know what the funny, ironic thing is?  When we “go against” our “self” and for God, that’s when life really gets fun.  That’s when the floodgates of joy really burst beautifully in our life.

Amazing but true.

And well worth the cost.  Worth.  Every.  Penny.

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