Take Up Your Cross and Follow Me

“Whoever does not take up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me.”
—Matthew 10:38

Jesus told the people, “Whoever does not take up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me.” He wasn’t talking about enduring a bad relationship, a chronic illness, or an addiction. Jesus was talking about suffering and death. The call to “take up your cross” is about dying to self, letting go of your desires, and replacing them with God’s desires. This is challenging for many people, especially those who think they are doing God a favor by accepting Christ.

When someone was condemned to death by crucifixion, part of their sentence was to carry the cross on which they would die to the place of execution. The Romans constructed the cross of two rough wooden beams. Carrying it wasn’t very comfortable. Nevertheless, Jesus carried His cross until he fainted from exhaustion. His burden was so heavy that He could not bear it alone. A man from Cyrene, a city in Libya, Africa, West of Egypt, was compelled to help Jesus carry His cross to His death.

Identifying With Jesus

To “take up your cross” is a figurative expression denoting that we must be willing to face disgrace and death, like a criminal carrying his instrument of death to his own execution. It also means that we must help our fellow believers to bear their burdens (Galatians 6:2).

Once we have identified with Jesus, we enter a war. We did not start the war; God declared war on Satan (Genesis 3:15). The only way we can escape this conflict is to deny Christ, which would be sin. If we did this, we would be at war with God and with ourselves.

Ultimately, we must each decide to love Christ supremely. To “carry the cross” does not mean wearing a necklace with a cross or putting a sticker on our automobile that says “Christian.” It means confessing Christ and obeying Him despite shame and suffering. It means dying to self, daily. If the Lord went to the cross for us, the least we could do is carry a cross for Him.

Lord Jesus, strengthen me for the journey ahead as I willingly share in Your suffering.