In one of the early scenes of the 1953 film, I Beheld His Glory, the Roman Centurion who was so moved by the brutal torture and crucifixion of Jesus meets with others to tell them the news.

Centurion: Jesus was crucified.
Others: No! Tell us everything.
Centurion: (inviting them to a sitting area) Alright. Shall we make ourselves comfortable?

It was a brief, poorly crafted line of script that makes an absurd leap from Jesus’ crucifixion to our comfort. I’m sure it wasn’t intended to convey any belief statement. But I wonder how often we make the same absurd leap when we acknowledge, even agree to follow Jesus…but then go on living ordinary lives in the pursuit of our personal comforts and pleasures, mindless of His presence.

I’m not advocating a return to sack cloth and ashes. But how should one life be lived in response to such a free gift of grace that Jesus offers? And especially with regard to the unspeakable price He had to pay to provide us with that gift?

Jesus came to pay a debt He didn’t owe because we owed a debt we couldn’t pay. But we do have a choice to make (many times) each day:

I can focus on the pursuit of my comfort and pleasure.
I can focus on the pursuit of His sustaining presence in my life.

He desires more than you can imagine to just spending time with you.

Shall we make ourselves comfortable?
Or shall we pursue the adventure to which we are called?
What changes do I need to make in my life in response to this?

“To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example that you should follow in his steps.”
1 Peter 2:21