ICSG Daily Devotions
Take Up Your Cross

Mark 8:34 (NKJV) When He had called the people to Himself, with His disciples also, He said to them, “Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.

There is plenty of misconception about the cross that Christians are to take up. Some people think it refers to the trials and hardships of this life, such as a pain, a loss, an illness or a physical handicap. However, Jesus has already borne the pain of the cross, gone through the suffering and become the ultimate sacrifice in order to offer His blood in the heavenly tabernacle before He sat down. It is done and complete! Therefore, what Jesus is actually calling us to do is die to ourselves and commit to a lifestyle of living death—one of faith and godliness.

It means full submission to the Lord—willingly bear the shame, reproach, humiliation, suffering, hatred, alienation and even death that may come as a result of following Him, especially when we hold onto His values and principles in choosing to live a godly life. This is the only suffering of a Christian that this passage is referring to, which is suffering for the sake of righteousness.

When we choose the narrow way over the way of the world; when we live out biblical ethics in our personal lives and in our business relationships; when we are willing to identify ourselves with Jesus Christ, His death and His Word regardless of the costs; when we are willing to suffer any attack for Jesus’ sake, that is taking up our cross!

Sacrifice, death and suffering are not popular topics these days, but it is what Christianity is all about. Equally sad is that not many people are truly carrying their cross today. Many are quick to compromise if it will make life just a little easier.

We need to focus on the eternal destiny that God has intended for us, so that we will find it an ease to forgo, deny and carry the cross in this present life. We also need to have the right priorities in life by putting our spiritual life first, in order to fully enjoy the abundant life, because this is the promise to all those who are willing to take up their cross and follow Jesus.

Mark 8:35 (NKJV) For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it.

Sermon Series: Affluenza