The Faith Code: 14 Day DevotionalSample

Persevering in Our Commitments

There was a time in Jesus’ ministry when He was very popular. Crowds would follow Him wherever He went, a celebrity in His day. But Jesus knew the fickleness of human commitment, and challenged those listening to count the cost of following Him. If they were sincere disciples they would need to “take up their own cross.” What He was saying was, “You cannot truly love me without paying the price of re-ordering your life. This is no small matter, no trivial detail. Weigh out what you are loving because it won’t last if you don’t persevere in it.”

Jesus was teaching the principle of completion. We are to continue forward and finish well the things we are called to begin. We are told that Jesus endured the cross for “the joy set before Him.” The joy of completion—and all it meant to the Father and for us—was clearly part of what motivated Jesus to endure such hardship, horror and cruelty. Looking to Jesus and how He modeled love, commitment and sacrificial steadiness can inspire us to push on; to persevere as we apply the Faith Code in our relationships, our finances, in our hearts and our minds. In the end, God is always for us. He is on our side and He will help us to prevail; for His words - our source code - are life.

Prayer:

When we begin a new endeavor, Jesus help us to count the cost—that we understand and implement the principle of completion in our daily lives to see things through to the end. Remind us to take up our own cross, knowing full well that You will be with us every step of the way - our perfect example, our greatest friend, our source code.