Devotional Day 33

Scripture

Matthew 16:24-26

Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 25 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. 26 For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?

Devotional

“When Christ calls a man, he bids him to come and die” - Dietrich Bonhoeffer.

As christians, our life is supposed to be cruciform, cross shaped - a life laid down completely for Christ. A cruciform life is one in which we deny ourselves, laying down our own dreams, ambitions, comforts and desires and instead follow Jesus - making him our dream, ambition, comfort and the desire of our heart. This is the Christian life.

Many of us know that this is the call of the Christian, to deny ourselves and give our lives wholly and completely to Jesus, forsaking all idols - whether they be success, comfort, people’s approval, worldly wealth, pornography, alcohol etc… and yet this is almost impossible to do without a constant remembrance of Jesus’ cross.

The bible tells us:

1 Corinthians 6:19-20

You are not your own, for you were bought with a price.

When we behold the cross of Christ, we see pure love, for who else has ever loved like this? We see our freedom, our liberation, the payment of our ransom, and the forgiveness of our sins. When we remember, and engage with what Jesus did for us and the wonderful implications for us of an eternal hope and future, we can’t help but meet his call to deny ourselves, take up our crosses and follow him. For he purchased us with a price, his life. He gave his life for our life.

Jesus goes on and answers the natural next question of our heart, before it is even asked, with his next sentence. As he says “for whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul?”

Jesus told a wonderful parable that I think helps us understand this even more deeply.

Matthew 13:45-46

“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, 46 who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it.

The kingdom of God - a life within the rule and reign of King Jesus, is worth giving up everything for. It’s a trade that is certainly in our favour! Come to Jesus today - behold the cross and meditate on the wonder of what he’s done for you, and then decide afresh to take up your cross and follow Jesus.

What does taking up your cross look like today? What does it look like for you right now to lay down your life in humility? Maybe it’s a recommitment to laying down the idol of pornography. Maybe it’s opening up your career to the Lord and genuinely asking him how you can lay it down in your heart for Jesus to do with it what he wants, serving his ambitions instead of your own. Maybe it’s your finances, your time, whatever it is - the Holy Spirit will open your eyes to see it, if you open up your heart to him.

For what would it profit you to gain the whole world, and miss Jesus? He’s worth giving up everything for.

Prayer

Lord Jesus, my King - I take up my cross today and follow you. I lay down my agenda, my desires and ambitions and entrust them to you. I make you my sole agenda in life, my main desire and my ambition. Help me Holy Spirit to see where I can take up my cross today, lay down my life in humility and follow Jesus.