Matthew 16:24-28

Matthew 16:24-28 
English Standard Version (ESV)

Take Up Your Cross and Follow Jesus 
  24 Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 25 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. 26 For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul? 27 For the Son of Man is going to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay each person according to what he has done. 28 Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.”

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  For all those who wander in the desert, thirsty for water, here it is. 
  For all those who wander through life, hungry for meaning, waiting for truth, here it is.
  For all those who are just trying to make it through, hoping to secure themselves against the chaos of the world, here is a greater story.

  Jesus comes to save and to deliver.  He comes promising abundant and eternal life, accessible only through him.  It is a narrow door, but he invites us to come, but he also promises that it will not be easy.  In order to accept this gift, we have to empty our hands of everything else, trusting that what he fills us with will be enough. 
  Some days, some weeks, some years, this will be a difficult truth to hold onto.  We'll wonder where Jesus is, what grace looks like, while looking at the world around us and seeing the comfort and ease of others.  We'll be tempted to grasp for easier promises and let lesser things try to satisfy the deepest longings of our soul.  We'll seek to gain the world, and we'll forget about our soul.
  And so the Holy Spirit whispers in the dead of night, and the community of faith shouts from the nearest mountaintop, that Jesus is Lord, and that he is King and mighty God and a gracious Savior.  He has come to deliver and to save, and to trust in Him is to accept eternal and abundant life that cannot be taken from us.  He is strong and mighty to save, and he will deliver you through every enemy, even death.
  But to accept this means we have to trust completely, and we have to take up the cross, and daily follow him. 
  Will you lose what you have to gain what you cannot earn?
  Will you treasure your soul above the riches of the world?
  Will the hope of heaven that is buried in your soul sing loudly enough to call you into the deep waters of discipleship?

  I pray yes.