Matthew 16:24 ESV
“Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me”

I was brooding over this scripture and trying to understand what it truly takes to take up my cross. You see, the symbolization of the cross is mainly the crucifixion of Christ and His accomplished work towards our salvation, but as I was meditating on this scripture this week, I honestly couldn’t get it out of my head, I received another meaning of this cross. The things we hold dear to our hearts and lives that we are not willing to part away with.

Taking up that cross means taking all your desires, accomplishments, accolades, things you have amassed, every dream you have, etc., and putting those behind you while focusing on Jesus. That explains why Jesus asked us to deny ourselves of all those things which have become a cross to us because they have consumed our minds, thoughts and being. In other words, following Jesus means you are to pursue His agenda for His kingdom and humanity as a whole and this pursuit will require a selfless walk with Him. In Matthew 19:221-22, there was a man who was so enthusiastic about inheriting the kingdom of God and when Jesus gave Him the prerequisite for inheritance, that he (the young man) would need to give up all his possessions first, the guy left and did not come back because he wasn’t willing to part away with the very things the Lord has blessed him with.

Dying to self and to things takes a special empowerment from the Holy Spirit and a renewing of your mind daily to understand that you are only a steward of everything the Lord has given you in this life. Including your very own life itself. It is a gift from God and a time will come when the true owner will take it back. Once you live under that orientation, life becomes easy and you become more selfless, knowing that God has made you a steward of His people and resources and that when He places a demand on it, you should let it go. My prayer this week is that the Holy Spirit will empower us to consistently walk selflessly with Him so we can inherit His kingdom. I declare it is so and so it is in Jesus’ name. AMEN!

XOXO,

Lady Abena.