Says Jesus, "Follow Me"

“Follow him as the Friend of sinners, who heals the broken in heart, and gives rest to weary souls, and casts out none that come unto him.” The following devotion is from Bogatzky’s Golden Treasury

Follow me. Luke 5:27.

And endure suffering as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. 2 Tim. 2:3.

WOULDST thou follow Christ? Exemplify self-denial, humility, patience, and a readiness for every good work. Follow him, bearing a daily cross; and look to his cross, to make thy burden light. Follow him as thy Guide and Guard, and learn to see with his eyes, and to trust in his arm for defense. Follow him as the Friend of sinners, who heals the broken in heart, and gives rest to weary souls, and casts out none that come unto him. Follow him with faith, resting thy whole acceptance with God, and thy title to heaven, on his meritorious blood and righteousness. Lastly, follow him with much prayer. For, though he is full of compassion, he loves to be much entreated; and, when he is determined to give a blessing, thou must yet wrestle with him for it. Thus follow Jesus, and he will lead thee to glory. When arrived there, thou wilt be far from regretting the toil which was sustained, or the sacrifices which were made, in thy progress towards that region of inconceivable and eternal joy. There he will lead thee to living fountains, and fill thee with his own joy.

   "What happy men or angels these, 
    That all their robes are spotless white? 
    Whence did this glorious troop arrive 
    At the pure realms of heavenly light?" 
   
    From torturing racks and burning fires, 
    And seas of their own blood, they came: 
    But nobler blood has washed their robes, 
    Flowing from Christ the dying Lamb. 

– Bogatzky, Carl. Golden Treasury. “November 9”