Last night I put on a borrowed leather jacket, black suede wedges, liquid eyeliner and pink lipstick. I drank one of the best margaritas in the city, surrounded by some of the best women that I know and we made sure to take pictures to document the night. Two hours later, I checked my phone with about two songs left to hear at the concert. Twenty-one Christians lost their lives to ISIS. My social media feed went from the happiness of Valentines Day to the grim reality of the world. I am feeling numb and raw today. My heart is far from chocolates and flowers, it sits heavy in my chest, longing for Jesus to make things right. I can’t quite put into words how I feel so today I’m borrowing from a great.

“Cheap grace is the preaching of forgiveness without requiring repentance, baptism without church discipline, Communion without confession, absolution without personal confession. Cheap grace is grace without discipleship, grace without the cross, grace without Jesus Christ, living and incarnate.

Costly grace is the treasure hidden in the field; for the sake of it a man will gladly go and sell all that he has. It is the pearl of great price to buy which the merchant will sell all his goods. It is the kingly rule of Christ for whose sake a man will pluck out the eye which causes him to stumble; it is the call of Jesus Christ at which the disciple leaves his nets and follows him.

Costly grace is the gospel which must be sought again and again, the gift which must be asked for, the door at which a man must knock. Such grace costly because it calls us to follow, and it is grace because it calls us to follow Jesus Christ. It is costly because it costs a man his life, and it is grace because it gives a man the only true life. It is costly because it condemns sin, and grace because it justifies the sinner. Above all, it is costly because it cost God the life of his Son: ‘ye were bought at a price,’ and what has cost God much cannot be cheap for us. Above all, it is grace because God did not reckon his Son too dear a price to pay for our life, but delivered him up for us. Costly grace is the Incarnation of God.” (The Cost of Discipleship, Dietrich Bonhoeffer)

May I live in light of costly grace, instead of the cheap imitation. May I follow after the call, dedicating my life to true discipleship. May I accept that which cost Jesus His life, remembering that it is the only thing worthy of my life.