July 29

In Mark 8:34 Jesus said, “If anyone comes after Me, let him take up his cross and follow Me.” He was here dispelling the idea that the Christian walk would be a cake walk. He was here dispelling the idea that in accepting Him as Savior and Lord the believer would become prosperous and care-free.

Some Christians may be wealthy and live lives that evidence God’s blessings upon them, but that is not to be our anticipation upon signing on with Jesus. He makes it very clear that if blessings come, we are not to set our heart upon them. Our heart is to be forever His—exclusively.

But in casting our lot with Him, there will be certain expectations we will endeavor to meet—not because our eternal salvation is contingent upon anything we must do, for He has completed the work—just because our love for the Lord compels us to be like Him. The One unmistakable characteristic that the believer in Christ should evidence more and more as he grows in Him is love. Love is the one fruit of the Spirit that we are told in I Corinthians 13:8 “will never fail.”

In Ephesians 5:2 we are given this directive, “Walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us as a slain, fragrant, sacrificial offering to God.” It was love that established the foundation of salvation—Christ slain before the foundation of the earth (Revelation 13:8). It was love that brought Him from Heavenly glory to the ignominy of the cross. And it is love that will take us from the cross to a lifetime of following after Him no matter what the cost.