Deny Yourself and Take Up Your Cross, Matthew 16:24-25
24Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone would come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me. 25For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for Me will find it."
We try so hard in life to attain peace and comfort, ease and relaxation. Our souls long for rest, yet we try to treat it by giving our bodies rest. And sometimes that works momentarily, but we always come back to the place where we are at unrest within ourselves, where there is turmoil within our souls.
We think that it's because we need change, so we pack up and move, we buy a new car, we redecorate our homes, or we divorce our spouses and run off with some new fling. Or maybe we just secretly long for escape, to be freed from this prison called routine, to be able to go wherever we want, whenever we want, and do whatever we want. This longing produces tension, as day by day we become more tired of our surroundings and become increasingly frustrated and angry.
We try and try to do the best we can, to be happy and cheerful, to give hope to and encourage others. We look to God, following what He has told us will bring us peace. We go to church, praise the Lord, raise our hands in song and pray. We are sincere... But still something is missing.
Though we try, though we struggle, though we know the Word and God's promises, they somehow don't seem applicable to us. We pray, "God, help me!" with a sincere heart, but sometimes He seemingly leaves us alone to struggle and become weary. We beg, "Lord, help me to become more like You," or, "Lord, help me in this ministry." But alas, no help is found to ease the burden. It is then, when we have struggled and tried, become weary and fatigued, when we are worn out and frustrated, that we finally cry out...
"I give up! I've tried to serve You, Lord, but it never works out. I've tried my hardest to live up to Your standards, and to let Your Spirit guide me in my paths. I've done everything I could to learn about You so I can serve You. Yet nothing spectacular is happening, and it seems like You've given up on me, Lord. I can't do this anymore, I give up."
And the Lord says, "Good, good. I was waiting for you to say that..."
"You see, all of that work was your effort. All of those things were you and not Me. I am not here to help you succeed in ministry, you are here to minister to Me."
"Oh Lord, I don't understand..."
You see, my child, you were created for fellowship with Me. All mankind was.1 You were meant to bring Me joy as we walked in the cool of the day through the gardens of the earth.2
"But because of sin, we could no longer enjoy that close companionship.3 And after trying to show men how to live pure lives,4 to show them that they cannot do so alone,5 I tried to draw them unto Myself and unto that close union we once had by sending My Son, Jesus, to show them who I Am.6
"I want you to know, I love you. I love you more than life itself.7 All I ever wanted was you. I never asked for works and the like, but only for your heart.
"Men would come to Me with sacrifices... But I do not delight in sacrifice.8 I'd rather they obeyed than sacrificed.9 They did not have repentace in their hearts when they brought their sacrifices, but religion, rites, and rituals.
"Even on Mt.Sinai I told them, above all, to love Me.10 But in My heart I was burdened by man's increasing wickedness.11
"My child, I love you, and I want what is best for you,12 don't you see? I know you are frail, that you weary easily. I know your frame, that you are dust,13 for in My Own hands I formed you.14
"I don't want to see you struggling and striving, trying and pushing. I want you to rest in Me. Let Me do all the work.15 Let My Spirit fill your soul and bathe you in My peace.16
"I died for your sins. I took your guilt and shame.17 There is nothing more you need to do to be pure and spotless; the work is finished."18
"But Lord, shouldn't I try to keep things from my life that are immoral and unpleasing to You? Shouldn't I do everything in my power to get closer to You?"
"Precious one, I know it is with good intent that you say these things and strive for them, but you don't understand. You are weak, weaker than you think. You don't have the power to change yourself, only I can do that.19 There is nothing you can do to help speed up the process of sanctification.
"It is by My blood that you are cleansed. It is by faith in Me that you are saved.20 Sanctification can only come through one who is cleaner, more pure than yourself. Can a dirty man clean himself with something his own hands have soiled? No, something clean must cleanse him.
"And I am clean, I am righteous.21 I impart My righteousness unto you,22 and I do this at what rate I know is best for you. I will not give you more than you can handle.23
"It pleases Me, My child, that you see your sinful state and that it is displeasing to you. But you cannot take it away, only I can.
"I know you better than you know yourself.24 The things you see are only a part of what I see.25 What I see is beauty and fairness, purity and loveliness. I see beyond your sin, for you see, your sin is gone. You are already spotless before Me because of My blood that was shed on the cross for your sin.
"So, My dear child, do not trouble yourself with trying to attain righteousness. Don't weary your soul with such impossible endeavors.
"Just look to Me, and love Me. I will do all the rest. All you have to do is love Me. Ministry, sanctification, and all the rest, will naturally flow out of you if you do this one thing.
"Look to Me, and love Me. That's all I ask of you."26
1Revelation 4:11b; 2Genesis 3:8; 3Genesis 2:17 (to disobey God's commands is to sin); 4The Ten Commandments, the law of Moses; 5Galatians 3:24; 6Colossians 2:9; 7John 3:16; 8Psalm 51:10, Hosea 6:6; 91 Samuel 15:22; 10Deuteronomy 6:5; 11Deuteronomy 9:7 (in referrence to Exodus 32:1); 12Jeremiah 29:11, Romans 8:28; 13Psalm 103:14; 14Genesis 2:7; 151 Peter 5:7; 16Philippians 4:7; 17John 1:29; 18John 19:30; 192 Corinthians 5:17, Ephesians 2:8-9; 20Ephesians 2:8-9; 21Leviticus 11:44a, 45 (to be holy is to be righteous, clean, and pure); 22Romans 8:29; 231 Corinthians 10:13; 24Psalm 139:13-16, 23-24; 251 Corinthians 13:12; 26Matthew 22:37-38.
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