Following Jesus Daily
A Devotional in the Gospels
Today’s reading is out of Luke 9:23-24. Begin today’s devotion by reading this passage in your Bible.
It’s easy to view “Christianity” as simply a religion or a set of doctrinal beliefs. But when we examine the life of Jesus in the Gospels (the stories about His life), we find that He never called people to simply join another religion. Rather, He called us to a journey in relationship with Him. Time and time again we see Him using the language of “follow me,” which means Jesus is always on the move, and we’re meant to walk with Him. That still applies to our lives today!
Take a moment and reflect on the passage again and answer the questions below.
Luke 9:23-24 23 Then He said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. 24 For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it.”
Reflect
- What do you think Jesus meant by “take up their cross?” Is “our cross” different for each of us, or the same? What would you say your cross is?
- Why do you think Jesus was intentional to say the word “daily?”
- What do you think Jesus is referring to when He talks about “denying ourselves” and “losing our life” for Him?
- Have you given up anything in your life to follow Jesus yet? (If not, that’s OK, we’ll explore in this group what that might look like.) If so, explain
Act
Begin to view your journey of following Jesus as a daily one (not just a one-time decision, not just when we’re in trouble, not just on Sundays). What could you begin to do every day to connect with Jesus? (Hopefully, the devotionals in this guide will help you with that!)
Pray
Lord, thank You for calling me to follow You. Show me how to walk with You daily, how to let go of the things I need to let go of, take the steps of faith You call me to, and carry my cross as You did. I ask You to do a powerful work in my own spiritual journey and in our Life Group as we explore this together. Amen.