"He called the crowd and His disciples to Him. `If anyone wants to come with me, ' Jesus told them, ' he must forget self carry his cross, and follow me. ' " (Mark, VIII, 34)
We are used to the idea of Jesus suffering rejection and torture; we know it ended in resurrection and life. But when it comes to applying suffering to our own lives, it's a different matter.
How deep does our commitment go? How much are we really willing to suffer, for His sake? Does the example of those who are suffering for their Christian faith today make us feel guilty?
We face the greatest challenge of all time, as ambassadors for Jesus, to show Him to the world. Once we recognise fully the privilege of being Christ's hands and feet, His voice and His compassion, it surely gives us the strength to take up His cross and follow.
E.W.
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