“If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.” Luke 9:23
Dear Ones:
In the Garden of Eden, after God had created Adam and Eve, putting them in the garden to keep it, He told them, with regard to the tree of the knowledge of good and evil: “….for in the day that thou eatest thereof, thou shalt surely die.” (Genesis 2:17) We know how Eve was tempted, submitting herself to Satan and disobeying God, and how she gave the fruit of the tree of good and evil to Adam. The first evidence of this “death,” of which the Lord spoke, was a dominating self-consciousness, which manifested itself in shame, guilt, and fear. While Adam and Eve were without sin, living in conscious fellowship with Christ, they were oblivious of themselves, and that which concerned them. They were rather overwhelmed, and absorbed, by the wonder and beauty of Christ and His creation. Also, there was no preoccupation with the matter of provision, for God provided all for them, for every need. They had no need that Christ did not meet, and were selfless. It was only when Satan came and appealed to Eve to consider herself, that the seed of sin was planted in her heart. That receiving of this seed of Satan, the “lie,” would result in Even being drawn away from God, her desire resulting in a decision, a choice. That choice would result in sin, and the domination of self-awareness, consideration, control. No longer would the constant beauty fill their vision, nor would the beauty of creation be seen through sinless eyes. “Self” and sin would become the dominating factors of their lives. Since the day that man fell, throughout the centuries unto this very day, why do the words of the Lord Jesus resound with unchanged, and singular clarity: “If any man would come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross DAILY, and follow Me?” It is because this salvation of God to which He has called us is a message of good tidings, for in the truths of the gospel is provided for us a way to rise from the state and experience of self-preoccupation and domination, to being ruled over by the King of life, that same King of beauty and goodness who has become our Creator and Redeemer. Why then speak of a “disciplined, determined, decision,” and that, daily?
In three of the gospels, there is very similar wording with regard to denying self, taking up of one’s cross, in order to follow Christ. Only in Luke’s account do we find the word, “daily.” Why? Luke was a physician, very acquainted with detail. This may account for his use of the word. But there is perhaps another reason, and it has to do with certain people, or disciples, who need to hear that specific word. There needs to be the reminder that the call of Christ is a constant call, and experience. There is a daily self-denial, cross, and a following. Just as Moses would pray, “Satisfy us early with thy mercy,” (Ps. 90:14) so the believer needs to pray “early” for the grace to truly deny, or ignore and forget, self. True conversion and maturity in Christ is to grasp that He IS our life. The old things, principles, philosophies, and traditions of the past are gone, with regard to their effect on us. Christ has become Lord and King. The call to deny self is a daily disciplined choice by the grace of God, whereby we trust God by the Spirit for grace to look unto Jesus, setting our affection on Him, even the first thing in the morning. Practically speaking, how is this to be done?
In response to one of Satan’s temptations of Christ in the wilderness, the Lord answered him: “You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only shall you serve.” (Luke 4:8) The first thing is always worship, worship in Spirit and truth. This is how we “…set the Lord before us,”
Dear Father, Give us grace to fix our eyes on Jesus, beholding Him, and dominated by His life, power, and blessing. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Love, Dad