Cross-Bearer
READ: John 19:17-30
“Pick up your cross and carry it!” Sure, it is easy to say it, but do you think that you could actually do it? Chances are that none of us could. We bear crosses every day, but they are never like anything that Jesus Christ had to bear at Calvary. Chances are that none of us could pick up a load like that because of the weight. The good thing is that we really don’t have to carry our crosses because Jesus did that for us.
In John 19, John writes of Jesus carrying our burdens to the cross. This is where He was verbally abused and gave up His life for us so that we don’t have so many crosses. In verse 17 it states, “Carrying his own cross, he went out to the place of the skull.” In verse 30 Jesus says, “It is finished,” and He gave up His spirit. This kind of love is so special and unique to find. Some of the crosses that we carry are school, work, family, friends, and we may even have spiritual crosses to carry. That is why we can thank God and rejoice that Jesus died for us and carries our crosses for us. There is no other place or person that we can get this love from. It is 100% guaranteed for us!
We don’t deserve this kind of unconditional love, but it was given to us—for free, for us to use.
THINGS TO THINK ABOUT: Remember the last cross that you had to bear? How did you ask God to help you? What does God do to help you with your cross? What would you do if you had to bear someone else’s cross?
PRAYER SUGGESTION: Pray for patience and strength in carrying your cross. Pray for others and the crosses they must bear. Thank Jesus for bearing our crosses for us.