Of course, that wasn't all He said. He also told us that if we wanted to follow Him, we had to leave behind our homes, that even family should come second to our commitment to Him.

He also said that if we wanted to follow Him, we might lose our livelihoods, might have to leave our nets lying beside our boats and give up our sense of confidence and security.

He also said that if we wanted to follow Him, we'd have to make amends with the fact that the Son of Man has no place to lay his head, that we might be homeless.

He also said that if we wanted to follow Him, we had to take up our cross when we came. We had to lift this massive wooden structure and put it on our shoulders and follow after him, dragging it through the mud, never stopping, never turning back. It's a tool for execution. This walk will, He said, cost us our lives. 

But that's the thing to remember--He gives new life.

That new life will be infinitely better than anything we could dream of on earth, but it's a walk to get to it. It will be a trip. A journey.

We have a long, long walk ahead of us.

But He--He is the guide.

There is no reason to be afraid or to wonder when He is with us.

Yes, the fear will come. It's choking sometimes, and sometimes the darkness is so thick you can't see your own hand in front of your face, let alone His face in front of you.

But He is still there, and when the darkness and the smoke clears, you will see that he has been there all along.

Follow Him. Don't turn back.

He will see you through. Even with the cost. Count it, but follow Him.

He is with you til the end, and then beyond the end...there will be no end.