PODCAST
Take Up Your Cross
November 26th, 2022
Matthew 10:34-42
As a teenager, Stephanie remembered being moved by stories of Christians who were persecuted for their faith. She made promises to God that she would be just like them. Years later, Stephanie and her husband were pastoring comfortably in Maine, USA, when they received a call from a man who lived in a country where Christianity is illegal. He said he was a new Christian who wanted to be baptized, and he did not know how to safely find a pastor.
She had read the stories, but it wasn’t until that conversation that it became real to her. Many of us live in countries where it is safe and relatively comfortable for us to be Christians. We read in Matthew 10 and tell Jesus that we will pick up our crosses and follow Him, but like the disciples we do not understand what we are saying. We forget in our comfortable Christianity that many of our brothers and sisters in Christ are suffering around the world for their faith.
May those who suffer be comforted by the words of Matthew; may those who are comfortable be challenged by these words.
Author: Stephanie Malcolm
