Wednesday, August 5th

There are so many good scriptures today. I want to take a second to look at the first psalm and the passage in Mark. Jesus tells us to be his disciple means we must deny ourselves, take up our cross, and follow him. If we continue on our own path, our souls will be forfeited and corrupted. The first psalm speaks of the freedom and pleasure found in keeping God's law, which was created to illustrate God's holiness. This world is trying to find out what it looks like to be genuinely human, to be the best version of themselves possible. Christ's words tell me that to be genuinely human is to be Christ-like. He represents what we were meant to be on earth: obedient and submissive to God and allowing that perfect relationship with God permeate throughout all our relationships. Humans who seek to find themselves apart from the person of Jesus Christ, they end up becoming genuinely inhuman. David illustrates what it looks like to die to self and conform to God's holiness: death means life, taking up a cross means being woven into a story of redemption and renewal, following Christ means becoming who you were created to be. It doesn't make sense on the front end. But those on the otherside know it to be true.

Lord, protect me from the philosophy of this age that tells me I need to find myself to find my worth. Let me abandon this journey and seek you, understand you, reflect you; for that is humanity at its best and intended purpose.