"Let us ever walk with Jesus, Follow His example pure, Through a world that would deceive us, And to sin our spirits lure. Onward in His footsteps treading, Pilgrims here, our home above, Full of faith and hope and love, Let us do the Father's bidding. Faithful Lord, with me abide; I shall follow where You guide.
"Let us suffer here with Jesus, And with patience bear our cross. Joy will follow all our sadness; Where He is, there is no loss. Though today we sow no laughter, We shall reap celestial joy; All discomforts that annoy, Shall give way to mirth hereafter. Jesus, here I share Your woe; Help me there Your joy to know."
According to our hymn, we live in a world "that would deceive us." We may not regard the world as deceptive. After all, it is God's creation; He loves the world and the people He made in His image. He made us His stewards, or caretakers, of this earth. But this fallen world, with its many temptations, can be very deceitful and, because of our sinful frailty, very often the world's tempting voices "to sin our spirits lure." A consumer-driven culture lures us to be dissatisfied and to place our faith in earthly possessions. Yet the world is not entirely at fault; we share the blame. As the apostle James writes, "Each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire" (James 1:14).
Our path through life is not an easy journey, but our hymn has the answer: "Let us ever walk with Jesus." In our walk of faith, we plant our steps in the footsteps of Jesus, following His path as it is revealed in Holy Scripture. We know that Jesus' steps led Him to the cross. There He suffered the penalty of death that we deserved for our sins, for our every failure to resist the world's deceitful temptations, for every failure to walk according to the Word and will of God. Jesus died and was buried and, on the first Easter morning, the Savior's path led out of the empty tomb. By God's grace, our steps follow the risen Lord. Because in Baptism we are united with Jesus, buried with Him and raised "to walk in newness of life" (see Romans 6:3-4).
Even as we walk in newness of life, we will endure suffering. Like the Savior in whose footsteps we follow, we must "with patience bear our cross." As the hymn points out, our earthly walk is sometimes no laughing matter. Yet we walk on and look ahead to the joy yet to come. We are on the road, "pilgrims here, our home above." We are exiles on earth, but we know that joy will follow. We "desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one" (Hebrews 11:16b), the place where we will reap "celestial joy." Bearing the cross, we walk with Jesus, "full of faith and hope and love." Where our Lord leads, we will follow.
THE PRAYER: Lord Jesus, help me bear the cross as I follow in Your footsteps. I look forward to the celestial joy that will be mine when I live in Your presence forever. Amen.
This Daily Devotion was written by Dr. Carol Geisler. It is based on the hymn, "Let Us Ever Walk with Jesus," which is found on page 685 of the Lutheran Service Book.
Reflection Questions:
1. Is Jesus a part of your everyday life? How so?
2. If your life has been a difficult one, do you take comfort in the anticipated joy of heaven? Can that hope bring happiness to your life right here and now?
3. Name three things you can do to help you walk in the Savior's footsteps.
Today's Bible Readings: Job 38-40 Matthew 15:21-39
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