Scripture Reading: Luke 9:21-27
"Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me."
-Luke 9:23 NIV
Each Lenten season our church wrapped a cross in chickenwire and draped it with a purple swag for Lent. On Easter everyone brought flowers to decorate it. It was always a glorious sight!
One year we needed a new cross and Bob made a 7 foot tall cross from old fence post wood. This cross stayed in our garage for weeks before the Lenten season. The cross was propped up on the garage freezer and each time I needed things from the freezer I would have to lift and move it.
One day I was tired of moving the cross to get into the freezer. I was lifting and carrying it to another place when I spoke out loud, "How inconvenient!"
As those words flew out of my mouth I felt convicted by them. How inconvenient was that cross for Jesus as he walked down the Via Dolorosa to Golgotha? How inconvenient was the cross for Jesus as he hung for hours of torment? All of that inconvenience he bore for me and for all of us.
How many times have I felt like the cross is inconvenient? Being a Christian in a secular world can be difficult. I often choose the path of least resistance and choose my way rather than the Christian way. I still stand convicted by those words as I struggle to live a Christ-like life.
Dear Heavenly Father,
We thank you for the precious gift of your Son who chose to take the inconvenient cross for our sins. May we honor Him not only in our hearts and minds but in our actions so that others may know of God’s mercy and grace. Amen.
--Susan Wilkerson
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