Take Up Your Cross

Mark 8:34-35 AMP states:

34 And Jesus called [to Him] the throng with His disciples and said to them, If anyone intends to come after Me, let him deny himself [forget, ignore, disown, and [o]lose sight of himself and his own interests] and take up his cross, and [[p]joining Me as a disciple and siding with My party] follow [q]with Me [continually, cleaving steadfastly to Me].



35 For whoever wants to save his [[r]higher, spiritual, eternal] life, will lose it [the [s]lower, natural, temporal life [t]which is lived only on earth]; and whoever gives up his life [which is lived only on earth] for My sake and the Gospel's will save it [his [u]higher, spiritual life [v]in the eternal kingdom of God].

I was playing the piano and worshipping just a few minutes ago and this scripture came back to my remembrance. I was challenged to remember who I am living for, who I worship and why. The cross represents our purpose and our walk with Christ. It gets hard sometimes and we want to give in, lay the cross down for a second. But, Jesus clearly states in another passage of scripture that the person who will not take up their cross is not worthy of Him. How could he make such a statement? He could say this because we are servants. Think about this. Are servants in any house ever greater, more important, or more powerful than the master? The answer is no. Therefore, it is not for us to decide to put our crosses down when we tire of our circumstances. If Jesus had to carry a cross, a very literal cross, on his back, how much more should we be willing to endure for the cause of Christ with no physical crosses to carry?

You really are stronger than you think you are. How do I know this? 1 John 4:4 clearly tells says you, "have overcome...because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world." Recall the passion that you had for Christ 3, 6, even 12 months ago. You were carrying a cross then, (and with joy) right? What has changed? Are you still reading your word? Have you neglecteded to fast lately? Have your relationships become distractions? Have you fallen into a routine of complaining? Are you drained and stressed from challenges and frustrations?

Take inventory of your life, and you will come to figure out at what point you sat your cross down. Some of us are still carrying our crosses; though each minute that goes by could be the point where we finally give in and walk away from the cross. What a miserable existence we have without the cross that we are destined to carry. The cross represents our purpose. Jesus didn't carry a cross for his health. He was on his way somewhere to do something that would change something. It's the same with you. Your cross means something. Hold on to it with all you have...it is your lifeline.