Take Up Your Cross

Yesterday the Spirit impressed me with the concept, or definition, of taking up my cross and following Jesus. The cross is naturally associated with pain and that was likely the first impression on everyone who heard Him say those words. They would have been very baffled as to why Jesus would use an illustration of something so denigrating, humiliating, so excruciatingly painful to explain His desire for their lives.

Later when Jesus Himself took up His cross and followed love up the hill to His own death, He infused a whole new dimension into its meaning – forgiveness. The choice to forgive is the only remedy for the pain we carry inside from all the sin and abuse heaped on us by others or incurred by ourselves. To take up our cross means to consciously choose to embrace our pain and release all others, not holding anything against them. To take up our cross and follow is choosing to live in a constant disposition of continuous forgiveness for past, present and future sins committed against us.

Today's reading in My Utmost adds to this. “The cross stands for one things only for us – a complete and entire and absolute identification with the Lord Jesus Christ.” This is found primarily in prayer. Hence, “pray without ceasing” makes more sense.

God, work your amazing thing in Ethelyn's life. Surprise everyone by displaying your glory and power in transforming her far beyond all that we can imagine or think.