What Jesus Did! 'Following Is Hard' — Luke 9:57-58

Friday, June 23, 2023

Merry Christmas!

We pray the Lord blesses you with the grace of Jesus' presence this Christmas!

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As [Jesus and the disciples] were walking along, someone said to Jesus, "I will follow you wherever you go."

But Jesus replied, "Foxes have dens to live in, and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place even to lay his head."

— Luke 9:57-58 NLT

Key Thought

Put in cornbread English: Following Jesus is stinking hard sometimes! Following Him means giving up our comfort and embracing his way with our whole hearts. [1] He may give us some of those conveniences back to use for his cause but to follow him means giving up our claim, our right, to everything in our lives — perhaps even our family members [2] — and offering our everything to him as Lord.

While we know that there are times when our commitment to Jesus calls us to dangerous situations, sacrificial decisions, and challenging acts of obedience as his disciples, we must also remember Jesus' promise when he said, "My yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light." [3] This statement becomes more understandable for us as we grow to have the mind of Christ [4] and recognize the eternal value of what's ahead for us regardless of the difficulties we face in this life. [5] The apostle Paul said it well:

Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will reveal to us later. [6]
[1] Matthew 16:24, Philippians 2:3-9.
[2] Matthew 10:37.
[3] Matthew 11:30.
[4] Philippians 2:5 NRSV.
[5] Matthew 19:29, Philippians 3:7-8.
[6] Romans 8:18.

Today's Prayer

Father, please don't let anything stand in the way of my following Jesus. Help me see those things in my life I have not yielded to his lordship, and help me surrender them. Please use whatever I have to bring you glory. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Related Scripture Readings

  • Luke 14:33
  • Luke 9:23-25
  • 2 Corinthians 9:10

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Illustration

Illustration of Luke 9:57-58 NLT — "I will follow you wherever you go." —— "Foxes have dens to live in, and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place even to lay his head."

About This Devotional

What Jesus Did! is a series of one-year devotional guides through each gospel, using one short scripture passage each day and following the Gospel in sequential order. Each devotional consists of a scripture passage and a reflection and a prayer which open up the day's scripture and show how it challenges you to live for Jesus.

What Jesus Did! is written by Phil Ware and is available in book form.

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2007, 2013, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

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