In our postmodern era, I have had many conversations with people about the relevance (or irrelevance) of Christianity. I have noticed that many people have adopted a more relative view of truth – most often articulated in a way that says “what’s true for you might not be true for me,” or “I’m glad believing that helps you, but I don’t need it.” While it is true that believing in Christianity makes me want to become a better person, that’s not why I believe it. I follow Jesus because I believe that Christianity is objectively true. I believe Jesus actually died for our sins and was physically raised from the dead. I won’t get into the historicity of those claims here, but I will ask you to consider – if that is true, what are the implications for your life?
If you truly believed that the living God sent His Son to live and die and be raised from the dead because He loves you, what impact would that have on your life? Would it be enough to believe it, and then go away unchanged? I don’t think so. Human history was split in half when Jesus died – and if you believe this story is true, your life will be split into BC and AD, too. You will never be the person you were before you encountered Him, because no one can meet the living God and walk away the same.
Each day that we walk with God He invites us to pick up our cross and follow Him. That might seem like a difficult calling, because when Jesus carried His cross it meant suffering and laying down His life. Taking up our cross will mean something different to each one of us, because God has a unique story for every individual. Given how painful and difficult sacrifices can be, we may ask – why would we want to follow Him, when we could live easy, comfortable lives instead? We enter into Jesus’s suffering and death so that we can enter into the fullness of His life.
I have been walking with God for years, sometimes straying miles behind Him, and sometimes walking so closely that I can almost tangibly feel Him right beside me. I can honestly say that some of the times I’ve felt closest to God have been some of the most challenging times in my life, but there is a peace that surpasses all understanding and a joy that is greater than anything else I have ever experienced. You can know this peace and joy, too. Today and every day, Jesus invites you to simply believe, and pick up your cross and follow Him.
To be near Him is worth any sacrifice. I promise.
“He who has God and everything else has no more than He who has God only.” -CS Lewis