The Cross We Bear

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The Cross We Bear

June 12, 2008

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8:34 And he called to him the multitude with his disciples, and said to them, "If any man would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 8:35 For whoever would save his life will lose it; and whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel's will save it.

Mark 8:34-35

It seems like this has become just another cliche - "I guess that's just my cross to bear in life." The problem is the context we use it in. Some have said, "I'm so good looking that people don't take me seriously - I guess that's just the cross I have to bear." Beauty - that's not a cross I have to worry about bearing!!!

What was the cross? It was a cruel iand brutal instrument of death, it was not an inconvenience. Why are we to take up our cross? To deny ourself - be crucified with Christ. For what purpose? That we might follow Him.

Too often God seems to call us and we want to follow on our terms. We want to make sure it is an convenient as possible - not too "painful." The harder we try to hang on to life the way we want it, the more miserable we will be. I can recount so many times God has asked me to obey (going through a bit of it lately, too!) and I get an attitude - "Lord, I'm too scared!" or "Lord, it's too hard!" or "Lord, it's too uncertain!"

We can say all we want about how Peter goofed up so many times. But think about him standing in a boat, in the middle of the sea, in the middle of the night, in the middle of a storm. He, of all people, could have played the "too scared, too hard, too uncertain card." Instead, he goes for it. Sure, he sank when he took his eyes off of Jesus, but oh for those precious moments of experiencing the impossible! I'm sure some of the others in the boat may have laughed at Peter later, but they also never knew how it felt to have water become as solid under their feet!

To deny ourselves and take up our cross is a death to self for the sake of Jesus and His Gospel. God may be calling to you get involved in a new ministry venture. Maybe He is calling you to share the Gospel with a loved one. maybe he is asking you to let go of a sinful addiction. Nothing will happen as long as we try to hang on to life the way we want it to be. Someone once said that you cannot say, "No, Lord," One of those two words must change - they cannot be said together.

Do we want the kind of life we have in mind for ourselves or do we the life God has in store for us? I know I am preaching to myself here, too!

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Paul Hospodar

June 13, 2008

I used to consider myself closely aligned with 'doubting Thomas' in regards to my faith.

I realize I'm much more Peter-like now. I do GREAT when I keep my eyes on the Lord. I jump in and miss the mark like him (like during the transfiguration) sometimes but try to express my zeal. It's nice to see how Peter grew in his faith and ability to serve the Lord, and being a "Peter" is fine with me!

I traveled this week with a lady from my work who is into meditation and buddhism and things like that. She seems to subscribe to the "Christians are all about themselves and judgment" stance on what a Christian is. She likes Buddhism because of the surrendering and submissive aspect of it. But the big lesson I have learned as a Christian is that the PERSONAL benefits become the aftereffect of death to self and submission to the Lord, though so many, as you mentioned, miss the mark of what 'taking up one's cross' means.

Mike n Laura

June 13, 2008

Excellent blog. Lord show me my cross. ~mike

Paul Yanchek

June 13, 2008

Amen.

We are all about the perks. The perk of cross bearing is death to self!