DAY 16
Position to grow closer to God
“Then he said to them all: ‘Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.’” Luke 9:23 (NIV)
How can we position ourselves to grow closer to God this year?
In Luke 9:23b, Jesus tells His disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.”
His words seem surprising at first. The disciples had already given up everything to follow Jesus. Or so it seemed ...Family. Friends. Jobs. The comforts of home. Yet, in our key verse today, we find Jesus telling them the cost is going to be even higher than they had originally anticipated. The disciples aren’t being asked to lay down some things. They are going to need to lay down everything. Their plans. Their agendas. Maybe even their own lives. And while it may sound like a lot to ask, because of their willingness to continue following hard after Jesus they will get to experience a level of closeness with Him unlike anyone else.
Closeness when they take communion with Him before He is crucified. (Luke 22:12-20) Closeness when He bends low to wash their feet. (John 13:1-17)
Closeness when He eats with them after His resurrection. (Luke 24:36-43)
Closeness when they are among the first to receive the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. (Acts 2:1-4)
So not only did they have the promise of eternity with Him in heaven, they also had the privilege of experiencing unparalleled intimacy with Him on earth. This is the connection our hearts should hunger for when it comes to the Lord. Jesus’ invitation to the disciples
in Luke 9:23 is for us, too. We are also invited to share in this close relationship. Which means we are also called to deny ourselves, take up our cross and follow Him. Therefore “taking up our cross” may sound strange or vague at first, but it means breaking old habits to create space in our heart for new growth. It’s meant moving beyond a plastic Christian checklist ... Go to church. Read the Bible. Don’t cuss. Be nice. Pray. Give to the poor ... and letting God mess with any and every area of my life. It means things like offering Him our willingness to step away from TV for a season, fixing our eyes on Him first in the morning, instead of our phone and allowing Him to call us to a new level of discipline in our lifestyle. We have to desire and learn to say YES to whatever He commands of us. Today what does wholeheartedly after God look like for you. Growing closer to God this year may mean we distance ourselves from whatever is distracting us. Let’s ask God which distraction we need to distance ourselves from in order to grow closer to Him, and then let’s do the hard work of denying ourselves. Because a deeper level of intimacy with Him will always be worth the cost. Lord, show us what stands in the way of intimacy with You, and give us the strength to lay it down. We long to be closer to You no matter the cost. Amen.
How can we position ourselves to grow closer to God this year?
In Luke 9:23b, Jesus tells His disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.”
His words seem surprising at first. The disciples had already given up everything to follow Jesus. Or so it seemed ...Family. Friends. Jobs. The comforts of home. Yet, in our key verse today, we find Jesus telling them the cost is going to be even higher than they had originally anticipated. The disciples aren’t being asked to lay down some things. They are going to need to lay down everything. Their plans. Their agendas. Maybe even their own lives. And while it may sound like a lot to ask, because of their willingness to continue following hard after Jesus they will get to experience a level of closeness with Him unlike anyone else.
Closeness when they take communion with Him before He is crucified. (Luke 22:12-20) Closeness when He bends low to wash their feet. (John 13:1-17)
Closeness when He eats with them after His resurrection. (Luke 24:36-43)
Closeness when they are among the first to receive the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. (Acts 2:1-4)
So not only did they have the promise of eternity with Him in heaven, they also had the privilege of experiencing unparalleled intimacy with Him on earth. This is the connection our hearts should hunger for when it comes to the Lord. Jesus’ invitation to the disciples
in Luke 9:23 is for us, too. We are also invited to share in this close relationship. Which means we are also called to deny ourselves, take up our cross and follow Him. Therefore “taking up our cross” may sound strange or vague at first, but it means breaking old habits to create space in our heart for new growth. It’s meant moving beyond a plastic Christian checklist ... Go to church. Read the Bible. Don’t cuss. Be nice. Pray. Give to the poor ... and letting God mess with any and every area of my life. It means things like offering Him our willingness to step away from TV for a season, fixing our eyes on Him first in the morning, instead of our phone and allowing Him to call us to a new level of discipline in our lifestyle. We have to desire and learn to say YES to whatever He commands of us. Today what does wholeheartedly after God look like for you. Growing closer to God this year may mean we distance ourselves from whatever is distracting us. Let’s ask God which distraction we need to distance ourselves from in order to grow closer to Him, and then let’s do the hard work of denying ourselves. Because a deeper level of intimacy with Him will always be worth the cost. Lord, show us what stands in the way of intimacy with You, and give us the strength to lay it down. We long to be closer to You no matter the cost. Amen.