Ponder: What do you want more than anything else?
Scripture: “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me” (Matthew 16:24, NKJV).
Jesus left the glory of Heaven and came to this earth for a purpose: to give Himself as the supreme atonement offering. He had just told His disciples of His impending suffering and death when Peter rebuked Him, insisting that this would never happen. Despite Peter’s good intentions, Jesus called him Satan (adversary) because he was hindering Jesus from accomplishing His purpose.
At that point, our Lord made Himself crystal clear: following Him would be no easy life! Jesus was on His way to death, “even the death of the cross” (Phil. 2:8). Anyone wanting to be His disciple would have to deny himself and take up his own cross. Does that sound pleasant?
The very next verse poses what most people want, namely to save their lives rather than deny themselves and take up their own crosses. “For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it” (Matthew 17:25). Say “no” to my own desires and bear my cross? Be faithful unto death? No, thanks! I prefer to save my life. But if that’s the course I take, I can’t be His disciple, and I will end up losing my life eternally.
So, it comes down to this: What do we really want? Have we counted the cost of following Jesus? There are no shortcuts or waivers. Are you in or out?
Hymn: “I Have Decided to Follow Jesus”
Prayer: Father, we thank You for Him who took up His cross and went to Calvary to pay the price for our sins. Help us, we pray, not to shirk our own duty to deny ourselves, take up our crosses, and follow Him. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
–Joe Slater
