Daily

“Then Jesus said to them all, ‘If anyone would come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow Me.’” Luke 9:23
Jesus said this three times during His earthly ministry: when He sent out the Twelve (Matt. 10:38), after Peter’s confession (Matt. 16:24, Mark 8:34, Luke 9:23), and to the crowds (Luke 14:27).
For someone to carry a cross in those times meant they had been condemned to death by crucifixion. It was a symbol of public shame. People carrying their crosses were not pitied, as we often made to feel for Jesus in the Easter movies. They were ridiculed and derided; they were ‘dead men walking’.
We too need to count the cost before following Jesus. It’s no good only going half way. We must deny ourselves – our sin nature and our pleasures, in favour of living a life that is pleasing to Him. Carrying a cross and making a stand for the Lord may mean we are persecuted or ridiculed for it. But the eternal gains are worth it. Also, following Jesus is a daily choice we must make. Every day, not just Sundays, we will have opportunity to take another step in following Him. Jesus becomes our life, not just a part of our life.
Following Jesus isn’t a walk in the park. It’s a journey to Golgotha.