Thursday
Luke 14:25-33
Large crowds were traveling with Jesus, and turning to them he said: 26 “If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even their own life—such a person cannot be my disciple. 27 And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.
Following Jesus comes with a cost - the surrender of our old lives. As Dietrich Bonhoeffer said, "When Christ calls a man, he bids him come and die." This death to self is not a one-time event, but a daily choice. Today, consider areas of your life where you're holding back from full surrender to Christ. What comforts or securities are you reluctant to let go? Pray for the strength to take up your cross daily, trusting that what you gain in Christ far outweighs anything you might lose. Ask God to deepen your understanding of what it truly means to be His disciple.
Large crowds were traveling with Jesus, and turning to them he said: 26 “If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even their own life—such a person cannot be my disciple. 27 And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.
Following Jesus comes with a cost - the surrender of our old lives. As Dietrich Bonhoeffer said, "When Christ calls a man, he bids him come and die." This death to self is not a one-time event, but a daily choice. Today, consider areas of your life where you're holding back from full surrender to Christ. What comforts or securities are you reluctant to let go? Pray for the strength to take up your cross daily, trusting that what you gain in Christ far outweighs anything you might lose. Ask God to deepen your understanding of what it truly means to be His disciple.