Taking On

Below is a selection from Giving Up & Taking On: A Lenten Devotional, a publication from Shift, a ministry of the Young Adult Council, the Baltimore-Washington Conference of The United Methodist Church. 

To view the whole resource, visit http://www.bwcumc.org/files/pdf/shiftlentendevotional2011.pdf.

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Taking On: Matthew 11: 25-30


Have you ever taken on something that seemed impossible? Maybe you were the first in your family to go to college. Maybe you completed a marathon to raise money for an important cause. Perhaps you have accepted all of the responsibilities of marriage, or taken on the challenge of raising children. At least a few times in our lives, most of us will rise to a major challenge, because we believe that the rewards will be worth the struggle.

These challenges can be some of the most difficult things we attempt in life. Yet, they are also defining moments in our lives. People who complete major athletic endeavors often say that the moment of achieving their goal is worth all of the struggle and pain it takes to get there. Despite the many challenges of raising children, most parents can not imagine their lives without their sons and daughters. Most college graduates will say that the things they learned , the friendships they formed, and the pride of receiving their degree was worth all of the hard work along the way.

The same can be said for following Jesus. Living a Christian life is perhaps the greatest challenge that any of us will ever face. Taking on the yoke of Jesus is a serious commitment, a defining moment in our lives. Yet Jesus promises that, sooner or later, we will rest in the rightness and peace of that decision. Once we truly accept the challenge of living with Jesus, we will not be able to imagine life without Him.

Prayer: Jesus, following you is not always easy. Please grant me the courage to accept your challenge, the strength to persevere, and the peace that comes from knowing I am on the right path. Amen.


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