What does it mean to take up the cross? Read my latest blog post to learn about surrender.
Matthew 27:32, “As they were going out, they met a man from Cyrene, named Simon, and they forced him to carry the cross.”
One song writer wrote: "Take up thy cross and follow me, I heard the blessed Savior call. How can I make a lesser sacrifice when Jesus gave His all?" Another writer put it this way: Out of my shameful failure and loss,
Jesus, I come, Jesus, I come;
Into the glorious gain of Thy cross,
Jesus, I come to Thee. —Sleeper
Simon of Cyrene was compelled by the Roman soldiers to help Jesus carry His cross. Cyrene was the capital of Libya in North Africa. Simon no doubt was a Jewish proselyte who had come to Jerusalem to worship during the Passover celebration. His action reminds us of the words of Jesus in Mark 8:34-35, “Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: ‘If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it.’” What does it mean to take up the cross? It means submission and surrender to the will of God. Has the Lord been speaking to you about what He wants you to do? Is He calling you to pray more, to witness to certain friends, to surrender some personal ambition, to undertake a task for Him? Is there a conflict between that which you would like to do and the thing you believe God wants you to do? To take up your cross means to say, "Yes" to the Lord.