Thirty-eighth Day of Lent

 Thursday, April 1, 2021

Hallelujah!  He is risen!

A Lenten Devotional Guide

By Ernie Dorrell

Then he said to them all: “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it and whoever loses his life for me will save it.”

Luke 9:23-24

When Jesus taught, He never tried to camouflage the truth. People didn’t always embrace His teachings, but when it came time for discipleship He made it clear that there would be a cost involved for those who decided to follow His ways. I like the word “intentional” because I believe it carries with it a positive action, not just something to be considered.

Jesus said in the scripture listed above that if you intend to follow him you must be prepared to do three things. The first is to deny ourselves. That’s a shocker for most of us, who are part of a very self-centered society whose heart-cry is “give it to me now and make sure it is bigger and better and faster.” Jesus is calling us to change the center of our universe from ourselves to the needs of others and allegiance to His calling on our lives. Secondly, take up your cross on a daily basis. To me, that means my conscious choice to live by Jesus’ standards. Sometimes it is a narrow way, sometimes a way of suffering, sometimes a way of service or a way of compassion. But always a way of joy deep within us. Thirdly, “follow me.” This means not simply listening to Jesus’ words and meditating on them but sharing the risk with Jesus, of doing what is right in a world that is going all wrong.

We must never be ashamed of His Name or of being counted among His followers. We must “own up” to having been with Jesus and do so with a glad heart. We know that it’s risky business to follow Jesus, but the results of that choice will bring incredible blessings in this life and the next. Are you “intentional” about following Jesus?

Lord help us to count the cost. Amen

Hallelujah! He is Risen!
prepared for First United Methodist Church of Homosassa, Florida
Spring 2011
compiled by Patience Nave, Christian Education Coordinator
reproduced and edited by Patience Fort