Liz’s Morning Devotional: Scripture selected from Upper Room
October 24, 2024
Luke 9:23-27
23 Jesus said to everyone, “All who want to come after me must say no to themselves, take up their cross daily, and follow me. 24 All who want to save their lives will lose them. But all who lose their lives because of me will save them. 25 What advantage do people have if they gain the whole world for themselves yet perish or lose their lives? 26 Whoever is ashamed of me and my words, the Human One will be ashamed of that person when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels. 27 I assure you that some standing here won’t die before they see God’s kingdom.”
Good Morning! Jesus is the light of the world!
What does it mean to take up our cross and follow Jesus? Remember when James and John asked Jesus to sit at his right and left? Jesus told them that they did know what they asked. James and John felt ready to do whatever was necessary, but did they really understand what this meant? Peter proclaimed Jesus was the Messiah, yet on the night of his crucifixion, he denied him three times.
How can we understand if the disciples, James, John, and Peter, struggled with this? We’re just ordinary people living ordinary lives. How do we take up our cross?
Taking up our cross means sacrifice, laying everything on the altar. It's not a half-hearted commitment; it is a complete surrender to God's terms of discipleship. It's a choice to live out the truth that we are “crucified with Christ” (Galatians 2:20), even if it means shame, rejection, or persecution. Jesus and his early disciples didn’t consider their own lives more important than testifying to the gospel.
Those are good theological words, but we still ask what they mean for me and for us today. We are called to follow Christ and make disciples of the world! Are we ready to proclaim to God, “Lord, we are able to follow you!” For you and me, the costs are more likely to be awkwardness or tension in conversations with unbelievers rather than angry mobs trying to silence us.
Even though we are less likely to be martyrs for our faith, are we ready to be the one? The one who makes choices to help and serve our neighbors, the one who steps out the door and accepts the risk of loving our neighbors, the one who others describe as someone “different?” God chose us and set us apart, which means living with purpose, trusting God's plan, and stepping out of one's comfort zone.
God asks, “Are you able?” Are we ready to reply, “Yes, we are able!”
Dear Lord, We are your children! Oh Lord, We want to be able to follow, but we are weak. Thank you for giving us your grace and time to develop into the beings that you created. Thank you! In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen
Thought for the day: See with the eyes of Christ and serve God!
Lord, we are able. Our spirits are divine! Pastor Liz
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