January 11, 2016
"As they led Him away, they seized Simon, a Cyrenian, who was coming in from the country, and laid the cross on him to carry behind Jesus." (Luke 23:26)
In today's devotional, My Utmost For His Highest, Oswald Chambers speaks of the cost to others when I choose to obey God. He makes several valid points by pointing the Simon who was called upon to carry the cross of Jesus as He obeyed the Father's will for Him.
While I completely agree with the points made, and they made me think about a consequence of my obedience that had never occurred to me, I can't get away from what the Spirit has led me to concentrate on as I read this passage. This verse pointed me to Simon, the carrier of Jesus' cross, and my need to do the same. For this is the obedience I am being called to. Jesus carried His cross, then Simon carried it. Now I must carry it, not as my own, but as the cross of Jesus. This is obedience. This is surrender. This is the calling of the rest of my journey on this earth. It is not a one-time act, as it was for Simon. It is not a physical act as it was for Simon. It is a daily, moment-to-moment, spiritual act that reveals that I belong to Jesus. But my position should be exactly the same as Simon's: behind Jesus.
In order to properly carry the cross of Jesus, I must have Him clearly in my sights. He must be directly in front of me. If He is not, then it would be impossible for me to be carrying HIS. I could be carrying my own, in my own strength, but that is not what He is calling me to do.
The cross references of this verse are Luke 9:23 and 14: 27, and they are Jesus' words:
I cannot escape the importance of these three verses in my heart and life right now. I can never be a disciple of Jesus if I am not willing to experience self-denial. To take up my cross daily is to expect painful situations every day because of my allegiance to Christ. I cannot "go with Jesus" unless I daily crucify my own flesh. I cannot crucify my own flesh unless I am truly following after Jesus. This will be painful! It will be humiliating, for this is the nature of crucifixion. But to do this is to obey Christ, and this obedience means I am His disciple.
I fail miserably every day with such obedience. My attitudes are rotten, and action flows out of those attitude constantly. I cannot think of the consequences my obedience will cause to affect others because I am not sure that I obey enough to make a difference in their lives. But this I know: I desire for that to be changed in me. I desire to know what it means to deny my feelings, my wants, my desires. I desire to make the connection that such self-denial is the very crucifixion of my heart that Jesus wants from me. I will be His follower and disciple as I practice this spiritual discipline.
PRAYER
"Lord I come, I confess. Bowing here, I find my rest. And without You, I fall apart. You're the One that guides my heart. Lord I need You, Oh I need You. Every hour I need You. My one defense, my righteousness. O God how I need You. Where sin runs deep, Your grace is more. Where grace is found is where You are. And where You are, Lord, I am free. Holiness is Christ in me. So teach my song to rise to You when temptations comes my way. And when I cannon stand I'll fall on You. Jesus, You're my hope and stay. Lord I need You, Oh I need You. Every hour I need You. My one defense, my righteousness. O God how I need You."
I need You, my Father! I need You, my Savior! I need You, my Holy Spirit! I am failing You and don't want to any more. Take me up out of the miry clay of sin and set my feet on the solid Rock. I want to be used for Your glory!
"As they led Him away, they seized Simon, a Cyrenian, who was coming in from the country, and laid the cross on him to carry behind Jesus." (Luke 23:26)
In today's devotional, My Utmost For His Highest, Oswald Chambers speaks of the cost to others when I choose to obey God. He makes several valid points by pointing the Simon who was called upon to carry the cross of Jesus as He obeyed the Father's will for Him.
- "We are so involved in the universal purposes of God that immediately we obey God, others are affected."
- We must trust God to "look after those who have been pressed into the consequences of our obedience.
- We should be careful not "to dictate to God as to what [we] will allow to happen if [we] obey Him."
While I completely agree with the points made, and they made me think about a consequence of my obedience that had never occurred to me, I can't get away from what the Spirit has led me to concentrate on as I read this passage. This verse pointed me to Simon, the carrier of Jesus' cross, and my need to do the same. For this is the obedience I am being called to. Jesus carried His cross, then Simon carried it. Now I must carry it, not as my own, but as the cross of Jesus. This is obedience. This is surrender. This is the calling of the rest of my journey on this earth. It is not a one-time act, as it was for Simon. It is not a physical act as it was for Simon. It is a daily, moment-to-moment, spiritual act that reveals that I belong to Jesus. But my position should be exactly the same as Simon's: behind Jesus.
In order to properly carry the cross of Jesus, I must have Him clearly in my sights. He must be directly in front of me. If He is not, then it would be impossible for me to be carrying HIS. I could be carrying my own, in my own strength, but that is not what He is calling me to do.
The cross references of this verse are Luke 9:23 and 14: 27, and they are Jesus' words:
- "If anyone want to come with Me, he must deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow Me."
- "Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple."
I cannot escape the importance of these three verses in my heart and life right now. I can never be a disciple of Jesus if I am not willing to experience self-denial. To take up my cross daily is to expect painful situations every day because of my allegiance to Christ. I cannot "go with Jesus" unless I daily crucify my own flesh. I cannot crucify my own flesh unless I am truly following after Jesus. This will be painful! It will be humiliating, for this is the nature of crucifixion. But to do this is to obey Christ, and this obedience means I am His disciple.
I fail miserably every day with such obedience. My attitudes are rotten, and action flows out of those attitude constantly. I cannot think of the consequences my obedience will cause to affect others because I am not sure that I obey enough to make a difference in their lives. But this I know: I desire for that to be changed in me. I desire to know what it means to deny my feelings, my wants, my desires. I desire to make the connection that such self-denial is the very crucifixion of my heart that Jesus wants from me. I will be His follower and disciple as I practice this spiritual discipline.
PRAYER
"Lord I come, I confess. Bowing here, I find my rest. And without You, I fall apart. You're the One that guides my heart. Lord I need You, Oh I need You. Every hour I need You. My one defense, my righteousness. O God how I need You. Where sin runs deep, Your grace is more. Where grace is found is where You are. And where You are, Lord, I am free. Holiness is Christ in me. So teach my song to rise to You when temptations comes my way. And when I cannon stand I'll fall on You. Jesus, You're my hope and stay. Lord I need You, Oh I need You. Every hour I need You. My one defense, my righteousness. O God how I need You."
I need You, my Father! I need You, my Savior! I need You, my Holy Spirit! I am failing You and don't want to any more. Take me up out of the miry clay of sin and set my feet on the solid Rock. I want to be used for Your glory!
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