give up all his own

Question being asked several times this week: what is the cost of faith? Lord tells you that it's everything -- the leaving of material riches, the leaving of faither and mother, the leaving of old lifestyles, of wormy garb. That is the obvious answer. What's relevant to us is the personalized question. What is our cost of faith?

The question and answer can have a twofold benefit. One, a personal reminder that all you have been casting off is not for naught. Two, to pressure test your faith, that you are where He wants you. Because if that settling is all you're seeing, perhaps the question is being asked to challenge you.

Only danger is competition. Trying to out-martyr the martyrs? Trying to merit your faith? He doesn't call for sacrifice for the sake of sacrifice, I really believe that. He calls for sacrifice because He needs the sacrifice at that time, wants that faithstep when He reaches out His hand.

What is the cost of faith? Whatever He asks for whenever He does.