Follow Me.

     "Take up your cross and follow me." Have you ever really stopped to think about what this means? I did recently and a few things stuck me. First, what does it mean to take up your cross?

     To me the fact that we are to "take up our cross" implies it is a voluntary act. We need to take the initiative to take it up, it isn't placed upon us. The cross isn't some burden that we have to live with, it is some task that we need to complete, or some job that we need to do.

     Next Jesus tells us that we need to follow Him. The word follow He used means to take the same road. Jesus  tells us to take the same road He is. We need to walk the same road He did and that road leads to Calvary. Jesus wants us to take up our cross and take it to Calvary.

     So, we are to willingly take up the task placed before us and carry it all the way to Calvary, to completion. We have to take up our cross and follow Him, not take up our cross and wait for Him. This whole verse is about moving forward toward the cross of Jesus.

     So what is it that Jesus has laid before you that you need to carry on your way to Calvary? There is some task, some ministry opportunity, some person that you are being called to take up; will you take it up and walk the road to Calvary behind Jesus?