Take Up Your Cross

Luke 9:23 ESV
“And he said to all, If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.”

If we choose to follow Jesus, we must deny ourselves. Jesus is saying, If we wish to be His followers, we have to reject the natural human inclination toward selfishness. Denying ourselves includes overcoming the persistent fleshly demands of the body and mind, also known as the carnal self or the natural man, and bringing them into submission to God’s Word so that you don’t give in to sin.

The next part says, “take up his cross daily and follow me.” Take Up our cross is not taking up our burdens, it literally means, are we willing to give up our lives. If we wonder if we are ready to take up our cross, consider these questions:

• Are we willing to follow Jesus if it means losing some of our closest friends?

• Are we willing to follow Jesus if it means alienation from our family?

• Are we willing to follow Jesus if it means the loss of our reputation?

• Are we willing to follow Jesus if it means losing our job?

• Are we willing to follow Jesus if it means losing our life?

In some places of the world, these consequences are reality. Notice the questions are phrased, “Are we willing?”  The only thing I will say about Luke’s comment on taking up our cross, some of us have to remind ourselves daily that it’s not our lives to live anyway, and, it’s not our will but His be done!

Prayer:
Lord, I’m only here because of You. I only have what I have, because of You. I owe you everything Lord because You gave everything for me.