Matthew 16:24

When was the last time you played follow the leader? I still love this game, both as the follower and as the leader. In Matthew 16:24 Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. Jesus says follow me, so essential someone could say we are playing follow the leader with Jesus. The follow me part makes lots of sense, but what about the deny myself and take up my cross?

If I told you to build yourself a cross and carry it around with you all the time would you do it or would you look like me and think I am crazy? I hope you would think I am crazy. Jesus isn’t asking that you draw attention to yourself that way, but he is asking that you draw attention to yourself with the way you live your life.

Denying myself. This might be one of the hardest things Jesus asks of us. To deny ourselves we are giving God our dreams, desires, and fully trusting him. Have you asked God what he wants you to do after high school? Your dream might be to go to college and study music, but maybe God is calling you to not go to college and to go to Africa to do mission work. Are you willing to not only ask and listen, but to trust and follow? 

Pray that this week you can deny yourself and follow Jesus.