Daily Scripture Reading: Matthew 10:38 KJV
Matthew 10:38 KJV
(38) And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.
Today’s Devotional Is BEARING THE CROSS
It is amazing that our Lord, in the 37th verse of the chapter, confronts the entire race of men and demands their supreme love. He asks that they love Him more than their dearest, from whom they have derived, nor to whom they have given their lives. The only thing that justifies His demand is that He is the Son and God of God and died on the Cross for us. Each one of us is a part of His Divine-human love. The word “is not worthy” is a powerful rebuttal. In this sense, surely no one is worthy of our Divine Lord.
Christ does not ask for the surrender of the heart, but the whole of life. The badge of a disciple is self-denial for His sake. It’s a strange procession made up of cross-hearers who follow the example of Christ. Each man must choose to self-denial.
It is important to understand that Christ does not call us to confession in one utterance. He calls us to a constant acknowledgment of Him through voice and life. The context also reveals that this must be kept in the face opposition, often the opposition of the home. It would be easier for many of us to accept the outward persecution and the frown of the dictator than to resist the light bantering, suspicions, and cruel words of the people who live in the home. There have been many people who, while not hateful of their loved ones, had to stand alone for Christ. They were also hated by their family members because they devoted themselves to Christ. It is not easy to bear. There is no other way than to keep the enemy and the avenger at bay. We must persevere in our well-doing and believe that God is faithful and will not allow us be tempted beyond what we can bear.
PRAYER for Today
Let us be the remedy, the complement to every difficulty and need that we might face; if Christ suffers for us, let us not threaten; if Christ is criticized, let us respond with blessing; if Christ is put to the test, may we rejoice; and if Christ is lonely and desolate may the Holy Spirit make Jesus real for all of our needs. AMEN.