picking up your cross?

In luke Jesus tells his disciples
Lk 9:23 Then he said to them all: “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me"
we were wondering how we could bring the term 'cross' to its full influence for today. The cross back then meant more than it does now. We then wanted posed the thought of what word could fit in for today.

We talked about the cross being a cruel and humiliating way to die. the thoughts of what the cross means today- it is glorified and has no real relevance to death any more. so when we hear pick up your cross daily has lost it's original hard meaning. what today would be a way to help people get to the true meaning in regards to the hardship and humiliation that it was for Jesus and the Jews. the thoughts of 'moving away from your 'comfort zone', maybe having to rent instead of being a home owner, having to leave your family. and the thoughts were left there.

well after 2 weeks of thought and further discussion we came to a thought that the Cross for Jesus was what he came for, it was his responsibility. He came to earth to do a job, that is die on the cross to pay the price of our sins. the final sacrifice. He had a choice in the matter, we see this when he is in the garden of Gethsemane when he prayed;
Lk 22:42 “Father, if you are willing, take this cup z from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.”
He took his responsibility that was placed on his shoulder and fulfilled it.
so when Jesus says to deny ourselves, pick up our cross daily and follow Him to day it would mean for us that we need to put our desires aside (deny ourselves) and take our responsibility that God has given us (picking up our Cross daily) and follow Him.

What is this responsibility? Love God and Love our neighbours as ourselves.
Lk 10:25 On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
Lk 10:26 “What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?”
Lk 10:27 He answered: “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; r and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’’”
Lk 10:28 “You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.”

so Daily we need to be loving God and if we are truly loving our neighbours then our lives will be different to those around us, we will be taking the opportunities to share the Gospel with those around us. taking up our Cross Daily!

re-written "Deny yourself, pick up your Responsibility daily and follow me.


God Bless