Day 45 Take up the Cross

Matthew 16:24-25 (HCSB) ²⁴ Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone wants to come with Me, he must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow Me. ²⁵ For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life because of Me will find it.

 

Denying yourself is a not really a natural thing to do. You have to be pretty intentional to deny yourself.  We have a tendency to allow ourselves much in this life. We usually do not deny ourselves much.

 

Take up his cross. This has been a much misused verse. Taking up the cross has nothing to do with some rheumatoid arthritis and everything to do with the punishment for sin. The cross was the instrument God used for the payment for sin. We are to take this up and realize the sacrifice that was made and accept it and follow Jesus. I have heard it said, “that’s my cross to bear,” as if some outside force has laid something upon us to carry through life. Our cross to bear is the sin we have committed and we take it up only to lay it down at the feet of Jesus.

 

Lose your life in Jesus and you will truly find it!