Carrying the Cross

In our Thursday Life Group, we're studying Walk As Jesus Walked in the Faith Lessons series produced by Focus on the Family and hosted by Ray Vander Laan. While preparing for it this week, I was shaken to the core by its message.

The study's theme focuses on disciples not only following after Jesus, but becoming like Jesus - just as a talmadim becomes like his rabbi. This week's idea was framed around the concept that Jesus suffered. Jesus tells us in Mark 8:34, "If anyone should come after me, he must deny himself, take up his cross and follow me."

My cross is definitely different than yours. Not everyone is called to martyrdom like our Messiah and countless Christians after Him. So, what is your cross? Are you sure you're not limiting your cross to only those things that you've considered in the past?

God's Spirit led me through some very important questions this week that are challenging me to re-think what my cross is and make some necessary adjustments so that I'm truly carrying my cross, not allowing someone else to do it for me.

Am I giving my best?

Can I give more? ...do more for Him?

Will I be satisfied with my life's effort when I breathe my last?

Can I justify holding on to so many material things when others have so little?

Have I really suffered as a disciple of Christ?

Just how much suffering will I accept in my life as a disciple?

What's influencing me more - my culture or my Lord?

I hope you'll take some time today to ask the tough questions. Spend a few minutes at least marinating in the Spirit's conviction about the cross you're carrying.

I Love Your Sanctuary

In the Old Testament, the presence of God was found in the Holy of Holies, the sanctuary of the Temple. When Christ died, the curtain separating the Sanctuary from God's people was torn. After Jesus' ascent to heaven, He sent the Holy Spirit to all believers as a gift. We now know that the Holy Spirit resides in every believer upon conversion. All that to say, we, ourselves, have become God's sanctuary!

David wrote in Psalm 26:8 I love your sanctuary, Lord, the place where your glorious presence dwells. (NLT)

In light of the New Testament truth, David's sentiment takes on a whole new meaning. In other words, we should be asking ourselves, "Do I love myself simply for the fact that I am God's sanctuary?"

Paul echoes this in 1 Corinthians 6:19 where he tells us that our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit. Therefore, we should honor God with our bodies. Yet, this challenges us with yet a whole different level of worship.

As believers in Jesus Christ and Spirit-filled Christians, we should worship God by keeping two important things in mind:

1) We should love ourselves, knowing that our bodies have become the sanctuary for our Creator and our Savior. We are not only created in the image of God, but we are now the glorious dwelling place for our Lord.

2) We should care for our bodies as carefully as the Old Testament priests cared for the temple. We should honor our God with our bodies, which means we need to think again about how we treat ourselves - what we put in our bodies, what we put on our bodies and what we do with our bodies.

This morning, I challenge not just you, but myself as well, to capture the heart of David as he says, "I love your sanctuary, Lord, the place where your glorious presence dwells."