Crosses

Crosses

Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. ~ Matthew 16:24

  I have alway collected crosses and today I was at an event that had crosses, so I had to buy another one. There were all these different crosses, different sizes, different styles, different weights, and different materials. This set off that switch in my brain that says ok this is tonights blog. 

      Each and everyone of us have our crosses to bear. They are different for each one of us. No matter how different they are, we are to pick them up and follow Jesus. The weight of the crosses we bear will be lighten as we follow Jesus. He wants to help us with those burdens. Jesus picked up His cross and brought it to Calvary to be nailed to it. I can’t imagine how heavy that cross had to be. The cross, He bore was the weight of the worlds sins. Those sins of the present, past and future were on that cross. All He is asking in return is to pick up our crosses and follow Him. 

     It just may be easier for some people to pick up their crosses and follow Jesus with out a question or a problem. This doesn’t mean that the size of their crosses are smaller, it is that they are ready and willing to do it. Someone may have a huge cross to pick up and they are doing it like it weighs nothing but a small cross can weigh that person down and feel they can not do it. We can not compare our crosses to each other. What we can bear and handle someone else could never and the same for that person and us. You may see people who you can not understand how they were able to pick up their crosses and follow Jesus during the hardest times in their lives. They were able to because of Jesus. I bet they turned to Him and asked for help to carry those burdens, pain, hurt, whatever those crosses were weighed down with. We again need to ask for His help and guidance. 

     I did not turn to Jesus five years ago after my mothers death. I laid my cross down and walked off. There was just no way I was going to pick it up and move along. I thought it would be easier to walk without it and yes for a short time it was easier. It did not make the hurt stop or lessen it. By doing that I gave up on who I was in Jesus’ Name. It was a mistake to put the cross down, walk away, and not walk back to pick it up till to long after. By not following Jesus from the start made the cross heavier now. I add more weight all these years. 

      Jesus is not asking us to do the impossible when He asks us to pick up our crosses and follow Him. If it was impossible He would not be asking us. I know it is hard when things are not going well and the cross you bear is weighed down but know God will not give us more then we can handle.  I ask God are you sure I can handle all this? I have handled some hard times for sure but I am still here, writing this blog about how Jesus did help and I was able to handle it. It is ok for us to ask for help when we are carrying our crosses. Remember Jesus had help along the way as well. If Jesus had help I know I surely need the help. Sometimes asking a friend to pray for you, or talk about what is going on, can help with the weight of the cross lift somewhat. 

        There will always be some kind of cross we have to bear in this world. What matters is how we handle those crosses and how we carry them in this life? Pick up whatever cross you have and follow Jesus. He will make the weight lighter for you and help you along the way. We just need to ask.

Until tomorrow, God Bless, and pick up your cross and follow Jesus on the road to salvation.