Thoughts Along the Journey

For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps:   “Who committed no sin, Nor was deceit found in His mouth” ; who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously;  who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed.  For you were like sheep going astray, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls. I Peter 2: 21-25 

Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works. Matthew 16:24-27 What does it mean to "take up my cross?" What does it mean to lose our life for His sake? It means to embrace whatever comes into our lives and bear it through the grace He gives. Embracing a cross is painful. There are all those splinters and things, you know? But since He did that for me, how can I do less for Him?

Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends. John 15:13