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Luke 14: 27 “And anyone who does not carry his cross
and follow me cannot be my disciple.” (NIV)
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There are no uncrucified disciples.* |
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“I guess it’s just my cross to bear.” How often do we hear
that expression? Do you ever hear it and think that somebody is exaggerating the weight of their load? In response to
this sentiment, Oswald Chambers writes: “We
are apt to imagine that the cross we have to carry means the ordinary troubles
and trials of life, but we must have those whether we are Christians or not.
Neither is our cross suffering for conscience’s sake. Our cross is something
that comes only with the peculiar relationship of a disciple to Jesus Christ;
it is the evidence that we have denied our right to ourselves.”*
What did Mr. Chambers mean? He is declaring that our daily
burdens – however heavy they may be – are not our cross. Our cross is not even
the sacrifices we make in order to live a Christian life. When we submit to
carrying our cross, it is a private matter between us and the Lord. What we see that looks like cross-bearing is only an outward indication that we are
carrying a cross. When I deny my right to myself, there might be some external,
visible signs of the change in me, but only God knows the rebellions that my
heart clings to, the idols of self that stand between me and him.
Some of Jesus’ disciples are called to more sacrifice and
suffering than others, but all of us are called to give up ourselves. When you
let go of yourself, your cross is not your burden but your honor as you
shoulder it on the path behind Jesus and his cross.
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If you will give God your right to yourself, He will make a holy experiment out of you. God’s experiments always succeed.* |
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