My Cross

Luke 23:26
Now as they led Him away, they laid hold of a certain man, Simon a Cyrenian, who was coming from the country, and on him they laid the cross that he might bear it after Jesus.

I wonder what Simon was feeling and thinking as he was forced to carry the cross of Jesus? Did he follow out of knowledge of Jesus or was he just swept up in the frenzy of the crowd? Was he embarrassed to be associated (even if by mistake) with this rejected and condemned man? Was he compassionate enough to carry this suffering man's cross willingly or did he carry out of fear or compulsion? Was he afraid?... of whom? Was he angry?... at whom? How did it feel to bear the vary cross of Christ? Did Simon stick around Golgotha, even at a distance, to see how the story would end or how this man would respond? Did Simon take with him and splinters, literal or figurative, from carrying the cross of Christ?

What does it mean for me to carry the cross of Christ? Am I willing to be publicly associated with a rejected man? Do I stick close to Him even in fear, anger or insecurity? Do I follow all the way to Golgotha? Do I bear the splinters of the cross of Christ? Has my life been lost for, even wrecked by, the cross?

Luke 9:22-24
And he said, "The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life."
23Then he said to them all: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. 24For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it.

Do I boldly identify with the cross of Christ, not just his love or good teaching? Do I willingly bear the suffering of my Savior and not just his victory? Like Simon, unless I willingly bear the cross of Christ, I will never find His victory.

Father - give me the courage to publicly identify with Your cross, Your sacrifice for mankind, Your atonement for sin; not just Your love, blessings and good teachings. Let me bear the splinters of the cross and the testimony of the Lamb of God. Amen.