There are certain accounts in the Scriptures that leave us in awe. I am talking specifically about the recorded decisions and choices of the people of God as they followed the Lord – the all-out choices they made because they completely understood (and lived out this understanding) that all that they had and were belonged to the Lord. These people were all-in; and they were blessed to be brought to this reality. They were given eyes to see what is not seen, as opposed to what is seen. They LOVED the Lord. They would do and say ANYTHING that showed that they were His and that they trusted Him. We have read these accounts so often, and know them so well, that perhaps we haven't stopped to put ourselves in the shoes (or sandals, as it were) of these saints.
"And it came to pass, when the time was come that He should be received up, He stedfastly set his face to go to Jerusalem," Luke 9:51.
"…in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft. Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one. Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep; In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness. Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches." 2 Corinthian 11:23-28.
"Verily I say unto you, That this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury: For all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living." Mark 12:43,44.
When Jesus says, "Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.", He means it. The life of a believer is a life of self-denial. He is not demanding a part of us. He is demanding all, because all belongs to Him. Let us pray to God that He will conform us more and more to the image of His Son – He Who set His face steadfastly toward Jerusalem and, indeed, gave all.
As my hike with Holliday led me farther down this delightful path, my eyes were enriched with the beauty of God's creation. In reviewing photos of the hike, I became interested in discovering the names of the many interesting plants I saw. Here is my first discovery (more to come!!). The names are listed in the following order: family name, genus and then species name. This will be my protocol if at all possible. Thanks to https://plants.usda.gov.