Follow Me

“Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.” Matthew 16:24 (KJV)

Deny yourself. Don’t do what you want when what you want is contrary to God’s will. Deny yourself, don’t indulge yourself. (Denying yourself to show how stoic you can be doesn’t count. That’s not denial, that’s indulgence.)

Take up your cross and follow me. Jesus carried the cross on which he died. He did the opposite of what we do. While most prisoners of Rome had no choice in their fate; Jesus could have bowed out at any time from his suffering. We are often powerless against circumstances in our lives; he had the power to oppose Pilate, the Sanhedrin, and the Roman soldiers. He chose not to. He could have done anything he desired; he chose to do his father’s desires.

Do we each take up our cross? Do we deny ourselves and do what God wants instead of what we want?

Jesus endured the cross for the sake of the prize that was set before him. Do we endure going without what we want in order to receive what he has promised us?
© 2008