Day 7: To Whom Shall we Go?
Then [Jesus] 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).
O Lord our God, “To You belong wisdom and power; counsel and understanding are Yours... You reveal the deep things of darkness and brings utter darkness into the light” (Job 12:13, 22). How reassuring to hear Your words of promise, I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with My loving eye on you (Psalm 32:8).
Your counsel is infallible. But You know all things (John 21:17), and You know that the instruction, "take up your cross daily" (Luke 9:23) can seem unsettling to us. And yet we recall another occasion with an unsettling lesson—an occasion when because of a hard teaching, many of Your followers turned back and no longer followed You (John 6:60, 66).
At that time You asked the Twelve whether they too, wanted to leave. And they gave You the only answer we too can give: “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and to know that you are the Holy One of God” (John 6:67-69).
In time that hard teaching rejected by so many followers was revealed to be a flawless and amazing plan of salvation that could only come from the infinite love and wisdom of God. And we can trust that You have a flawless and amazing plan as You call us into self-denial, courage, and endurance. You call us to take up a cross that saves us from the inevitable alternative—the crushing weight of sin, death, and destruction.
We know, O Lord, that You are good, that You are kind, that You are compassionate, that You are wise. We know that You will lead us along the way that is best for us. And we know that You will never leave us to carry our cross on our own.
You have given us Your assurance along with Your invitation: “Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light” (Matthew 11:29-30).
Give us the resolve each day to take up our cross and follow You. You have promised us Your strength in our weakness. And You have the words of eternal life.
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