Carrying the Cross with God

Prayer-Soldier · Posted: Sun Aug 28, 2011 7:18 pm Post subject: Carrying the Cross with God

You have deceived me, O Lord, and I am deceived: you have been stronger than I, and you have prevailed. I am become a laughing-stock all the day, all scoff at me. For I am speaking now this long time, crying out against iniquity, and I often proclaim devastation: and the word of the Lord is made a reproach to me, and a derision all the day. Then I said: I will not make mention of him, nor speak any more in his name: and there came in my heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I was wearied, not being able to bear it. (Jeremiah 20:7-9)

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercy of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, pleasing unto God, your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world; but be reformed in the newness of your mind, that you may prove what is the good, and the acceptable, and the perfect will of God. (Romans 12:1-2)

From that time Jesus began to show to his disciples, that he must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the ancients and scribes and chief priests, and be put to death, and the third day rise again. And Peter taking him, began to rebuke him, saying: Lord, be it far from you, this shall not be unto you. Who turning, said to Peter: Go behind me, Satan, you are a scandal unto me: because you savor not the things that are of God, but the things that are of men.

Then Jesus said to his disciples: If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For he that will save his life, shall lose it: and he that shall lose his life for my sake, shall find it. For what does it profit a man, if he gain the whole world, and suffer the loss of his own soul? Or what exchange shall a man give for his soul? For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels: and then will he render to every man according to his works. (Matthew 16:21-27)

As we walk our ways, we often find ourselves under the eye of others. In various ways we are judged, by what we wear, by what we do, by who we know, by what we say, by what we believe. Some will rebuke us for that which makes us different. Some will seek to assume positions of authority over us and conform us to their ways. If our heart is with them, they will have power over us, but if our heart is with the Lord, the only judgment which matters, then, is His.

Some will come to deceive us that it is their ways to which we should conform. Some will come to cajole us, to entice us; but when we hold to our beliefs, they will seek to punish us by taking away the things in which we find comfort, in which we find pleasure; perhaps our very safety. They will turn their backs upon us, they will ridicule us, they will seek to damage us, they will persecute us. Under the pressures which attack us, we will be tempted to turn to the ways of the world to which we have become addicted or to avoid the pain of suffering. But what do we truly suffer at the hands of the unfaithful if we join their ways?

As the faithful are besieged by those who mock faith, we will find injustice and oppression. We will look around us and cry to our Lord and ask how such can be allowed? Though we see the misery driven by those consumed by the world, it is not ours to judge, but it is justice which calls us to stand to give of ourselves to comfort the children of God. Though we may draw the disdain of the unbeliever or we may suffer at the hands of the persecutor, what we are is not what is in their eyes, rather what is in the eyes of the Lord. With compassion He will look upon those who seek to fulfill His commandments of love, yet are faced with those who taunt, those who rebuke, those who do not understand the truth which only comes from God.

As we draw near to the Lord, we are filled with a yearning which cannot be quenched. We may succumb to the ways of the world for a time, but once we know Him, we cannot stand the void created should we be tempted to turn from Him. Blessed are those who walk a moment in the darkness, but seek to return to the light, for it is in the light they will find truth and salvation.

We are each called to give of ourselves. Our sacrifice may come in various ways. What we give is of the gifts the Lord granted to us as we were formed. We each have talents and from those talents, if our ambitions are in selfishness, we cannot fulfill the commandments of love. If we live in selfishness, only one person is served, but if we live in selflessness, love may be extended from one to another. The light ignited in the life of one may be passed to the life of the next such that all are blessed. It is for this reason we were commanded to live in love for one another as He loves us.

We are conditioned to avoid suffering. As His disciples were told of the suffering which was to come for their Lord, they did not comprehend the reason for the sacrifice which was to be made. He knew what was to come, and though Peter told Him it need not be so, He knew otherwise, for how would the sins of the world be absolved if He did not take them upon His shoulders? What greater demonstration of love could their be than the sacrifice made for the benefit of all the children of God who would seek to believe in Him.

We might stand in wonder if we are capable of the same sacrifice which was made for us. Blessed are we that we are not asked to carry a cross larger than we capable, but we should know that if He is with us and fills our heart, we do not carry any cross alone. If we join with others, the burden becomes lighter for all.

If we seek to become one in the body of Christ, there is no cross which cannot be carried. In prayer we should ask that we are given the courage to give of the gifts we have been given, for it is by giving we shall receive. If we cannot bear the minor sacrifices to which we may be called in this time, how is it we would believe we could bear the wailing and gnashing of teeth for all eternity? It is better to carry the cross of this time and suffer at the hands who would persecute us for our belief in Him so that we may be counted amongst those in the kingdom of heaven where we will know the love of the Lord and one another forever and ever.

May the peace and blessings of the Lord be with you always,
Prayer Soldier