The Cross

“Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.” Luke 14:27

This is one of Jesus’ hard lessons. One that as a young girl I rejected and did not believe He said. One of the reasons I stopped reading the Bible in High School and left the cute little Gideon Bible on a shelf to become dusty. 

Today, we wear crosses on our necks, wrists and even ears. It is hung on our walls, our car mirrored , and doors. People in Jesus’ time would never think of doing that. Only criminals convicted of heinous crimes would have carried their cross and be crucified on it. Today in the Philippines there is much discussion about heinous crimes. Men who should have been in jail for their whole lifetime were released because they had connections in high places, or they paid money to people in the Bureau of Corrections. 

We cannot pay God enough money to get Him to forgive our heinous crimes against Him. We cannot do enough good deeds to cover up for our sin. Amazingly, Jesus was willing to do it for us. "He himself bore our sins" in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; "by his wounds you have been healed." (1 Peter 2:24)

Thank You Jesus for Your unshakeable, massive commitment to us. Thank You that nothing can thwart the victory You won for us on the cross. I can live in freedom, without guilt and shame, as long as I repent of my sin, believe in Your finished work on the cross, and follow You.