Following Him

          This verse is packed with a lot of meaning and challenges us to live out our faith in a way that honors Jesus. It's a call to discipleship, a call to put our faith into action, and a call to be followers of Jesus, not just admirers. But before we dive into the verse itself, let's take a step back and understand what discipleship is all about. Discipleship is the process of becoming a disciple, which is a student or follower of Jesus. It's about learning from Jesus, living like Jesus, and sharing the love of Jesus with others.
          The first part of the verse, "let him deny himself," is all about putting aside our own wants and desires to follow Jesus. It's about setting aside our egos and putting Jesus first in our lives. Naturally, we don’t like putting our ego aside because we want to put ourselves first. The journey to being a disciple of Christ is learning how to put Christ’s priorities and teachings ahead of our own, and the first step in doing this is making sure that we are quieting our personal desires.  Recognize that Christ is the leader, and so in order to let Him lead us, we must let go of our desire to be in control.
          The second part of the verse, "take up his cross daily," is a reference to the cross that Jesus was crucified on. At the time, the cross was a symbol of shame and death. So, this part of the verse is challenging us to be willing to suffer for our faith, to be willing to put ourselves out there and stand up for what we believe in, even if it means facing criticism or persecution. If we are worried about persecution and discomfort, we will not be able to follow Christ properly. Taking up our cross is not masochistic or a desire to be put into painful situations, but it is learning that expressing the love of God will not always be comfortable or pleasurable. Sometimes the hardest thing to do bears the greatest outcome of love. When our love for others is sacrificial like Christ on the cross, we will learn the depth of discipleship.
          Finally, the last part of the verse, "follow me," is about putting our faith into action and living our lives in a way that honors Jesus. It's about putting our trust in Him and following His lead, no matter where He takes us. Effective discipleship does not pick and choose when we follow Christ. We must follow Him at all times no matter where He chooses to lead.
          So, what does this all mean for us today? Well, it's a challenge to live out our faith in a way that honors Jesus. It's a call to put aside our own wants and desires and to put Jesus first in our lives. It's a call to be willing to suffer for our faith and to stand up for what we believe in. And it's a call to follow Jesus, to trust in Him and to live our lives in a way that honors Him.
          In conclusion, Luke 9:23 is a powerful verse that challenges us to be disciples of Jesus. It's a call to put our faith into action, to deny ourselves, to take up our crosses, and to follow Jesus. So, let's embrace this verse, let's take up our crosses, and let's follow Jesus with all our hearts.