The worthiness of daily cross-bearing.
The worthiness of daily cross-bearing.
Matthew 10:38 And he that takes not his cross, and follows after me, is not worthy of me.
Cross-bearing broadly refers to the intentional decision to follow after Jesus at any cost. It refers to a decision of absolute willingness to do the sole bidding of Christ in this world disregarding the consequences. It also entails a complete love of Christ above any familial or friendly bond. Apostle Paul elucidates this in Philippians 3:7,10 But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death.
Another milestone of bearing the cross of Christ is bearing it daily. This applies to our ordinary daily lives either at home or work, in the closet or the public, among the saints or sinners, when we are weak or strong, when praised or rejected, etc. Many Christians only seem to be cross-bearers in certain favorable conditions and deny the Cross when in adverse situations. Our life of cross-bearing must mirror that of our Lord- Hebrews 12:2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
We bear our cross daily by ensuring the continuity of our fellowship with Him at all costs, maintaining our closeness despite our busyness and the demands of our secular engagements, and denying every derailing attempt and allurement of the world to dampen our faith. We cannot bear the cross following “afar off” or allowing any earthly element to obscure our gaze of the Master’s holy and glorious face. Rather, we daily behold Him closely for the continuous transformation of our mind in conformity to His will- 2 Corinthians 3:18 But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the LORD.
