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Only the Cross I Am to Bear!
Carl HigashiMark 8:34-36
34 Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said:"Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. 35 For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it. 36 What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul?
Jesus calls out to His disciples and everyone in the crowd to give them an opportunity to follow Him. Then He gives them these three requirements to be His disciple:
- Jesus' disciples will no longer be defined by what they thought or what others thought about them. The disciples were now to deny themselves of their old way of life; the person of Christ would now guide their minds. Their feelings, emotions, and thinking would be given over to howJesus would feel, how Jesus would respond, how Jesus would live!
Ultimately, Jesus was saying your life if you choose to follow Me would no longer be your own, butinstead, be directed by Him.
- The cross, it's symbolism reminded and challenged all who heard His teaching, that their is a challenge that hasbeen set forth for everyone's life. Trials, difficulties, circumstances beyond your perceived tolerance, and the greatest public humiliation are what the cross was in the times of Jesus. Thecross was the worst way to die known to man at that time. At the cross, all the greatest of sinswere revealed to all.
There is a cross for every disciple to bear. My cross is to help others to find their cross and helpthem to find Jesus and His purposes for their life along the way.
- He is the living Word of God. The Bible is His written direction.
The Lord reminds me to evaluate everything that I am doing through the cross He has called me to bear. I am called to live my life for His purpose. Today the Lord asks me, “Am I the one who defines you? Are you following Me, according to the purpose I have established for you? Are you following Me and my directions?”
I am convicted by the Lord this morning and by John Bevere's message that there are too many "good" things in my life right now. But some of those "good" things are not God. I need to prune, and I need to ask God and others for help.
Thank you Lord for your gracious correction this morning. The first thing said from Emi (my daughter) in the car this morning is, "Dad, how are you doing?", I was convicted of "doing" too much!
Lord help me to prune, help me to humble myself, help me to find other harvesters, and thank you for showing me that I am carrying "crosses" that were not mine to bear. Sorry Lord, I repent, and now I must prune.
Love You Lord, thank you for Emi's Holy Spirit led gracious question of self- examination. May You bless and guide the both of us today and everyday. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
