Take up your cross

May 13, 2020
Today’s devotion is based on Matthew 16:24. “Then Jesus said to his disciples, ‘Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.’”

The world promotes self-fulfillment, focus on self, and a right to follow your dreams and desires. Jesus teaches self-denial. Does this attitude come easy to you? Probably not, if you are like me. Jesus never said that following him would be easy. Instead, he asks us to pick up our cross daily. Jesus carried a gruesome, heavy cross up a hill to his death. Through it, he freed us from condemnation forever and restored us to the Father.

The way of Jesus is full of obstacles and hardship, but Christ also promises to walk with us and carry our burden, our crosses, with and for us if we come to him with them. Let’s walk with him along the path of life.
Please pray with me the prayer for today: Heavenly Father, creator, and sustainer of all things, seen and unseen, please strengthen and guide me every day. Give me the courage to deny myself and put my focus on you and what you want me to do in a situation. Please help me carry my burdens when they seem too hard to bear. I know you are always with me, for you are the Good Shepherd who comforts and sustains me forever. In Jesus’ name, Amen. ​