Day 19: Take Up Your Cross

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*Mark 8:27-38*
Galatians 2:19-20
1 John 3:16
 Jesus called the crowd with his disciples, and said to them, ‘If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it. For what will it profit them to gain the whole world and forfeit their life? 
~Mark 8:34-37


The Call to Follow Jesus” by Jim Evans

These verses (Mark 8:34-37) set forth the expectations for a true believer. Jesus uses his own actual journey to the Cross, his crucifixion, and his resurrection to teach the disciples and the crowd of people following him what they had to do to be true followers of Christ.

Mark 8: 36 stands out to me and when I need reminding of what is really important in my life, I always come back to it. “For what shall it profit a man if he shall gain the whole world and lose his own soul.” This is right to the point and should remind us all where to place our priorities.

My childhood years and young adult years were a real struggle and although I was a Christian, my life had no real direction in terms of “living” my Christian beliefs. My real journey to the Cross began with the birth of my first child. I realized then that my life had much more purpose and having Christ in it every day would provide me with the guidance and strength to lead my children on their own journey to the cross.
Life’s struggles never really go away but with Christ in our hearts and providing us with the courage to make the right decisions, we will continue to grow closer to God so that we can become the disciples we need to be.  



Prayer:                                                                   


“Lord, I have decided to follow you.
Give me the strength each day to let go of myself,
to love others, and to seek you.
Amen.”


("I Have Decided to Follow Jesus" --the story and the song)

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