Learning to Deny Yourself - Your Nightly Prayer - February 14th
Learning to Deny Yourself
Your Nightly Prayer
by Michelle Treacy
TONIGHT'S SCRIPTURE
“Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily.” - Luke 9:23
SOMETHING TO PONDER
Lent is a wonderful time of year when we pause to consider the Lord. When we take a step back to focus on the life of Jesus and all he teaches us during His life on earth. For some of us, this will include fasting, increased prayer, meditation, and reflection.
This verse can be a hard one to swallow. As believers, we know that our lives are to be lived God's way with His will in mind. But as humans in frail and failing bodies, often we find ourselves wanting God's will our way. We don’t inherently want to lay down our lives; we don’t want to deny ourselves; we don’t strive for God's will. That’s not a criticism, just an observation.
So, I wondered this Lent if we took this verse a little more seriously, what would life look like? What habit, sin, or idol have we put in the place of God? What would the Lord ask us to lay down?
But equally so, what would the Lord ask us to pick up? Would he ask us to read scripture more, or to meditate on it instead of reading a few verses and tucking our Bibles away? Would he ask us to sit with Him in prayer instead of rushing off? Would he ask us to be more patient, kind, joyful, loving, to act in gratitude and not in grievance? Would he ask us to fast and focus time on Him?
This piece of scripture is pretty clear: to be the Lord’s disciple, we must deny ourselves and take up our cross daily. So I wonder, friend, what cross are you carrying? What part of yourself are you denying?
This is no easy read, but I make no apology; all of scripture 2 Timothy tells us is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness. So, the big question this evening is, how can this verse teach us? How can we be corrected and trained in righteousness?
This Lent prayer is about choosing obedience over comfort, and God's path over our own. That is not picturesque; rather, it is hard, pruning and digging in our souls is never easy, but it is always worth it!
May we leave this Lent season closer to God for doing so!
YOUR NIGHTLY PRAYER
Dear Jesus,
Thank you for your word, which reminds us of the hard things that make us grimace, but also the things we know are vitally important in our walk with you, Lord. Help us this Lent to have a focus on you.
Help us this Lent to pray more, read more, spend more time with you, and allow that time, Lord, to change us radically!
Thank you for loving us, dying in our place, and continuing a relationship with us.
In Jesus' name,
Amen.
THREE THINGS TO MEDITATE UPON
1. Digging and pruning are not easy, but when they take us closer to Jesus and make us more like Him, they are worth the uneasiness.
2. Remember, once Jesus carried a cross for you, a heavy cross, that led to His death. We will never be required to die the death He did, but to be His disciple, we must lay down self and pick up Christ.
3. Maybe you are entering Lent thinking you are too far from God. Well, as Joel reminds us that God's heart is always for us. He says: “Even now,” declares the Lord, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning.” Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and he relents from sending calamity.” The Lord is slow to anger, and He awaits your return!
Reflect on tonight’s prayer and share how God met you there. Join the Your Nightly Prayer discussion on the Crosswalk Forum.
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