Don't Steal My Cross!

S

(Luke 9:23) And He [Jesus] said to all, " If anyone would come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow Me."

O

This teaching conversation began when Jesus was alone in prayer even though He was also alone with His disciples (verse 18). Such is the nature of prayer. From that safe intimacy, He chose to reveal that He was indeed God's Messiah, who was to succeed by suffering and dying before being resurrected, glorified, or honored. He then invited His disciples to die under the biting rejection of the ungodly religious, then to live in the over-compensating presence of God (verses 18-27).

A

I need only one final death to commence my eternal resurrection with Jesus in Heaven (1 Corinthians 15). However, each day I need to take up my cross to follow Him. So many tempters and temptations try to steal my cross, to cheat me out of doing God's patient, loving will. I want no one to steal my opportunities to forgive, to love the unlovable, to become generous and merciful instead of mean and selfish.

P

Dear Lamb of God, Messiah, yes. I say yes to Your invitation to joyfully carry my ever-shifting cross, which purges my selfishness fear. I say yes to walking boldly in Your light and love. I reject each shortcut and compromise, each luxury that makes me less Christ-like. Amen!