On July 12 I was driving home and on WAOB (We Are One Body) radio I heard a small snippet of a segment. They said “Even Jesus had help carrying His cross.”
That’s definitely a statement to ponder!
They went on to say how Jesus preached “Take up your cross daily and follow me.” (Luke 9:23)
Hindsight is 20-20 so from our vantage point this statement is not entirely profound since we know that Jesus literally took up a cross. But He said this before He himself took up His cross – the disciples had no idea the full meaning of what Jesus was saying.
To their ears they were familiar with people carrying crosses – since crucifixion was a key mode of punishment at that time/historically. Plenty of people were being forced to take up their cross and carry it to their crucifixion.
But if you took up your cross don’t you only take it up once as you are led to your crucifixion? So was it shocking to hear that we are asked to take up our cross daily?
Was Jesus saying to them that each day you will have a cross like the one you would be given were you to be led to your own crucifixion? – “That’s right, each day you will get one and each day you will suffer but that is life. But even though you suffer and die follow me and you will live.”
Jesus took up His cross – we can follow his example. He didn’t just tell others to carry their burdens all on their own and then not carry the cross given to Him. But He also wasn’t too proud to ask for help (or at least need help) and he received it. In our lives each day we are given our cross to carry – how much it weighs and what it is made out of is not the same from person to person – but no matter what size, shape or weight our cross takes Jesus is there to help us carry our crosses – we just have to have the faith that even under all of its weight if we follow Him we will be okay.
Give God Your Yes 