Matthew 16:24

Then said Jesus unto his disciples, if any man would come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me ~ Matthew 16:24

I have heard it said that a Christian is one whom has picked up a crutch. In other words, the person believed that a Christian could not walk on their own, they needed help. This "help" was a negative, as the Christian's personal self-reliance was no longer valued and used, it had been taken away by the faith. The faith of Christianity was an excuse, in other words. How wrong they were! It takes strength to be a follower of Jesus and to carry our cross behind Him. Turning our life over to the Lord is the hardest thing we can ever do, but, wow, it is also the best thing we ever do! It is natural and easy to follow our own whims and go where we please. Following Christ can take us into some lonely and difficult places, He will lead us out of status quo into the reality of living fully. We will embark on journeys we never expected or intended, and then look back in amazement because our comfort zone was challenged beyond our comprehension. To follow Christ is a determined desire to belong to Christ. If we are not sincere, we will not make it. There is no half in, half out with Jesus. And, to give up our self-reliance for Jesus means exactly that. His will becomes our will. A non-Christian thinks this is giving up ourselves, losing ourself, but in reality, because Jesus knows us so well, it is really a finding of oneself! What really matters to us, matters to Him! What really matters to Him, matters to us! It is reciprocal! That may include some trials and struggles. In fact, let's face it, to follow Jesus will include trials and struggles. He is not Santa Claus, He is the Saviour of the world! And we are His aids. This is a messy world we live in, and messes will come our way. But through it all, we have a strong tower to cling to, a hope to put our faith in, a light which takes away the darkness, and a love that is unfathomable, and the burden we bear is shared on His shoulders!
Devotion by Pastor Julia

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