Take Up Your Cross, It's Easy
"My yoke is easy, and my burden is light."
Big decisions are sometimes hard, sometimes easy, sometimes both.
The very biggest decision is to accept removal from the dominion of darkness and placement in the kingdom of the Son of God's love.
It is hard because of the darkness, but easy because of the light and love and life that have been revealed in Jesus.
The first step is to disown yourself, and take up your cross, and follow Jesus to the Place of the Skull.
Taking up your cross is an admission that you are a sinner and deserve death. The benefits of Jesus' death are not for those who deny their need of those benefits.
The disowning of self, giving up all claim to any right to life, liberty, property, and relationships, is a part of this.
Consider a man condemned to death, who escapes, and lives in safety for twenty years. If he turns himself in, he is disowning himself, his possessions, his wife, and his children.
But if you put first things first, and God is the first of first things, second things are not diminished, but enhanced. It is a matter of testifying that God is true.
Besides, how can you accept removal from the dominion of darkness and placement in the kingdom of the Son of God's love if you are clinging to those relationships that are under the dominion of darkness. All of your proper responsibilities will be much better served in a new position and life in Jesus.
A man named Simon of Cyrene, carrying a cross, followed Jesus to the Place of the Skull. He was compelled to do so by the soldiers. Simon took the place of every human being in all time, for it was on the cross we deserve and for our sins that Jesus died.
In a sense, those who have willingly carried their crosses to the Place of the Skull have been compelled also. Compelled by need most of all, but also by the promise of God, and by the testimony of those who went before, they have found forgiveness of sin, and life, and love, by sharing willingly, through faith, in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
"Come to me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you shall find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."
Come as you are. It is only necessary to believe that Jesus died for your sins. And God will give you that faith, if you ask.
"And let him who thirsts come. And whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely."
jvb 11/19/99