Thoughts for another day

May 9, 2006

Today's verse: Mk. 10:21. …and come, take up the cross, and follow me. (KJV).

Our faith is hinged on one emblem. The Cross. Jesus Himself, much before His crucifixion, spoke of the Cross (perhaps, it never struck His followers in those days, as to why He spoke of it) as a crucial ingredient in following Him. He said, ‘If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me’.

His Cross today, is the world’s greatest symbol of hope. All around us we see trouble and frustration. People are led by moral depravity and manic urges. People, floundering around with questions and no answers. Disease and hunger stalks the world as sensible people and governments grope for answers in the midst of the turmoil that has befallen the earth. If we but try to go out of our make believe worlds and look out, we will see destitution and death. When a jumbo jet crashes with 200 passengers there is so much hue and cry; but every day a similar no. and even more people are dying due to disease and lack of food! Imagine every day a jumbo jet crashing. But there is no sensitivity. We live in a mirage!!!

Our senses are numbed by death facing us, day in and day out. In the silence of our spirits, if we choose to listen, comes Jesus’ voice: ‘Come, take up your cross and follow Me.’ He asks us to lay down our crosses at the foot of His Cross for therein our troubles are erased by the blood flowing down. Therein are our hurts healed. Therein is our seal of solace. Jesus does not want us to labor but take His yoke upon us, which is easy, and His burden is light.

Look upon those words of Jesus. ‘come take up your cross and follow Me.’ It is an invitation to life. My friend, taking the cross of Jesus is not a hard task at all. In fact as we meld our cross unto the Cross of the Savior of the world, it becomes unto us the ‘Power of God’. This power is tremendous. It casts asunder the bastions and citadels of the evil one. It ruins both the will and the appetite of the enemy of our souls.
You may ask what is this cross? It is the hurdles the evil one put across your path as you walk in life. God allows these because through them He purifies and toughens you. No evil can befall you unless it is His will and let me tell you that there is no cross too heavy that God will send toward you. For He knows well how much you can bear. With the cross He will also send you the Grace to bear it; then having borne it you eventually give Him the glory. So dear Christian, this day joy in the cross that God gives you. Pray that with every cross, souls will be saved. This prayer will rise as a fragrant aroma very pleasing to the Lord of Heaven. For He too loves souls. Do not hesitate in taking up your cross, however painful it seem, but rather rejoice in His mercy and wait. Then He will enter your life and bring you to the calm brook and give you living water that wells up inside of you in a glorious offering of praise.