Matthew 16:24-25 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it.”

Nickie Gumble makes an excellent point in the Alpha Course videos when he points out that when Jesus said this, a cross was purely and simply a device for execution. Carrying a cross would have been like carrying a noose around. This was certainly not a fashion statement! Jesus was saying in the clearest terms that following Him meant leaving everything else behind, even your own life. That’s not a popular message even today! Actually, the richer we get, the harder it becomes to leave it all behind. This is not to say that anyone who has material wealth isn’t following Jesus, but it is to say that anyone who is following Jesus isn’t owned by what they own. Far too many people are prisoners of their possessions. Material things are for use, and must never come ahead of following God in our priorities. Jesus actually talked about this issue fairly frequently, most famously in Matthew 6:19-20, where He said that our hearts will be with whatever we treasure. Jesus must be our greatest treasure! When that is the case, we will find life indeed, and treasure that those with a materialistic viewpoint can’t imagine.

This is the mindset I was raised to follow, but I can’t say I’ve been consistent in it. Too often I find myself valuing things over people, my comfort over sharing the Gospel. That benefits no one! I have plenty of room to grow in the area of considering it all rubbish for the sake of knowing Christ. (Philippians 3:8) As a pastor I need to be setting the example in every area of my life. Left to myself, I’ll never do that right! That’s why I need to be conscious and intentional in seeking God’s help and protection, pressing in to Him, striving to be aware of the choices I’m making so that I may make the right ones. I’m not to be nervous or anxious about this, because God has promised to do it in and through me, if I will allow Him to do so. (Philippians 2:13, Galatians 2:20) I can’t do it, but God is more than capable of doing it in and through me.

Father, thank You for this reminder, not just that I can’t do it on my own but that You will do it in and through me. May I lead all the believers in discarding everything else so that together we may gain all that You have for us in Christ, drawing many with us into Your kingdom, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!