Description
Daily Commitment: Taking Up Your Cross
In this episode, we reflect on Luke 9:23 where Jesus calls us to deny ourselves,… (visit YouTube for more)
Transcript
Today’s verse is so familiar that we really risk forgetting about it and forgetting what it means. This is Jesus speaking in Luke chapter 9 verse 23. And he said to all, "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me."
And do we remember that we need to deny ourselves and take up our cross daily in order to follow Jesus? Jesus is saying, if you want to walk the way I walked, then this is what you need to do. This is how you lay down your life. This is how you set aside all other considerations. This is how you accept the possibility, the likelihood of being utterly humiliated and even persecuted to death.
And living here in comfortable Western Christianity, it’s easy for me to forget this call of Jesus to take up my cross every day. So that I am not expecting that each day will be a good day where everything goes my way. No, rather it’s a good day where everything goes God’s way, whatever the cost, whatever the consequences, whatever it is that He asks of me.
We are chosen to serve Christ. Are we going to follow Him? Are we going to take up our crosses, accept the burden of discipleship, and truly deny ourselves and follow Him? This is radical, isn’t it?
Lord God, I don’t actually know how I can do this every single day without your help, without your strength. Thank you, God, that in my weakness, your strength is manifest. Thank you that you help us to bear that burden of our cross so that we can follow your Son truly, denying ourselves. Please continue to empower us in the mission that you give us to go out to the world and spread your gospel. Amen.
