2.11.2008

Luke 9:23-25
If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it. What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit his very self?

Micah 6:8
He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.


Hello!

I pray you are well, and learning abundantly from our Lord, and that you are seeing His graces every day. There has been a lot of things going on in my life recently or at least it would seem that way. Perhaps there are only a few things, but they’re weighty things so it seems like a lot. What’s good about having these weighty things on me is that it gives me all the more reason to praise God. They are a collection of good things… frustrating things… things that make me want to hold my breath. All still good things, and it opens the door for God to teach me a LOT about prayer and relying on Him.
Sunday, in going with how He’s been teaching me a lot, I was reminded of a very important element in being Christian: taking up the Cross, daily. I’m sure we hear that phrase a lot, say it a lot, or think about it now and then. We know it’s something we ought to do… right? But always good to be reminded of the simple fact that Jesus is to be central to our coming and to our going. Taking up the cross means offering myself and following the Author of life. Taking up the cross means taking God’s lead even when we want to be doing something else. Taking up the cross means – a lot of things, really. It’s the epitome of being a Christian. Repentance and forgiveness; rinse, wash, repeat. Learning and living and breathing all that it is to be a follower of Jesus Christ; doing mercy, loving justice, and walking with God.
Even when we’d rather do our own thing.
Even if what He’s calling us to do doesn’t make any sense at all.

Not just once but tomorrow, and the day after that, and the day after that. Rinse. Wash. Repeat. It’s not really easy making the decision to follow Jesus every day. What is easy is to get distracted when maybe we intended to spend time with God (guilty as charged); it’s easy to gossip about that person you really don’t like and are completely annoyed by; it’s easy to be proud about how much I know about the Bible (yes again guilty as charged). Taking up my cross daily isn’t easy but by the grace of God. And His grace… is so good. Although it is very true that we ought to move forward with all that we can towards God… that no matter what we do, God still loves us. God still loves you. He knows what you’re like on the inside, the sins you want to keep buried- He still wants you. He still wants me. He still asks us to take up our cross and follow Him.

Praise be to God!

Romans 12:1,2
Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.


In love and in Him with prayers,
Your sister,
Yvonne