Luke 19:27 But those mine enemies, which would not that I should reign over them, bring hither, and slay them before me.

Harsh words from a loving Savior. Surely He isn’t talking about me! My Lord is gracious and merciful. My Lord understands me, my situation and is so forgiving. I cannot believe He would talk that way about me. I love the Lord.

John 14:15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.

But I do lord. I keep your commandments.

Luke 18:20-23 Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honour thy father and thy mother. And he said, All these have I kept from my youth up. Now when Jesus heard these things, he said unto him, Yet lackest thou one thing: sell all that thou hast, and distribute unto the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, follow me. And when he heard this, he was very sorrowful: for he was very rich.

Obedient but with reservations. Jesus struck at the heart of the rich man’s devotion. While this example is easy to see, it speaks to a particular reservation which many of us do not face, extreme wealth. I’m not like that. I am not wealthy.

I knew a man strong in the Lord, gifted, wise, sound in faith, a pillar of the church. He refused to be baptized. His reasoning; baptism is not a requirement for salvation. It gains you nothing. OK, I understand that and I agree. Jesus said be baptized, it is a simple request. If this man reserved the right not to be baptized over such a simple matter, what did he reserve in his heart which was even harder to let go of in obedience of faith? I do not know, that is for the Lord to say.

“Reader, if there is a reserve in your obedience, you are . . .” I will not finish that quote for you. Allow the Holy Spirit to finish it in truth.