Devotional Thoughts Based on the Glory to God Hymnal

Matthew 16:24

Then Jesus told His disciples, “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.

It was a short-lived period of time in our lives when in our youth we were captivated by knock, knock jokes.

Knock, knock!
Who’s there?
Jesus!
Jesus who?
Jesus who is calling you!

A cute knock, knock joke! But as we discover in Matthew 16:24 and in this old hymn, Jesus does not call us to an easy way of life. There will be joys and sorrows, challenges and obstacles, disappointments, and achievements. To become a disciple of Jesus means the person practices self-denial and takes on the burden and weight of a cross to do so. Verse 4 of the hymn is an allusion to Matthew 16:24.

Jesus calls us by thy mercies, Savior may be hear thy call, give our hearts to thy obedience, serve, and love thy best of all.

Mrs. Cecil Frances Alexander, who wrote All Things Bright and Beautiful and Once in Royal David’s City, also authored this hymn.

Prayer

O God remind us that when we answer Jesus’ call to follow Him, we need to be ready to encounter rough terrains of life. In His name we pray. Amen.