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Cross – New Model to Discipleship
Genesis 26:12-33
Vs. 23 Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny
themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.
What did Jesus mean when he said “take up your cross
daily and follow me”?
Jesus’ audience knew very well what it means to carry
one’s own cross. When the Romans led a criminal to his execution site,
he was forced to carry the cross on which he would die. This showed
submission to Rome and warned observers to submit as well. Jesus made
this statement to make it clear that following Christ means total
submission to Him.
Nabeel Qureshi in his book “Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus”
recalls the time when he shared his new found faith in Christ to his
Muslim parents, the family was torn apart, his parents whom he loved
were heartbroken and felt betrayed, the shock even sent his mother to
the emergency room one night. His mother survived, but Nabeel says his
mother’s eyes have never been bright since that day. Unable to withhold
grief Nabel cried out... “Why God, Why did you not kill me the moment I
believed? Why did you leave me here? Why did you leave me to hurt my
family more deeply than they have ever been hurt? Why God?” At that
most agonizing moment in his life, Nabel says, something happened that
was beyond his theology and understanding, he felt as if God had picked
up a megaphone and spoke to his conscience – “Why because this is not
about you”
The unpopular yet fundamental fact of Christian life is
that God’s goal is not to make sure we are happy. Life is not about us
being successful, comfortable and pain free. It is about becoming the
man and woman God has called us to be. Life is not about us! It’s about
God.
In today’s Bible portion we see Isaac digging wells, one
after the other. In fact Isaac is re-digging some of the wells that
belonged to Abraham. Locals have filled them up and Isaac is
re-digging. Getting water was a matter of life and death for Isaac. In
the Bible portion we read that by the time the well was ready to draw
water, the locals came and claimed it. Isaac then moves on and digs
another, and the same story repeats. Again Isaac moves on and digs
another well, this time no one came to claim it. People may want to
call Isaac a coward, I even heard a message where the preacher called
Isaac a coward. Pause and think for a moment, Isaac was a man with many
flocks and herds, he was wealthy and he had the power to fight back but
we don’t see him do it.
Meekness is not a popular word in today’s culture. The
classical Greek word used to translate meekness was that for a horse
that had been tamed and bridled. The horse is not weak, it has been
tamed and bridled.
When Jesus asked us to carry the cross daily, He meant us
to be bridled and be under His control daily. After all it is not about
us, It’s about God.
PRAYER
Lord, help us not to argue and retaliate to criticism
and accusations but to keep our focus on You. Amen
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
“Meekness is not weakness, it is strength under
control” Abraham Lincoln
Binu T Jose, St Thomas MTC, IL
Christian Education Forum,
Diocese of NAE of the Mar Thoma Church
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