Raise!Vzorec

Raise one foot, then the other.

As the soldiers led him away, they seized Simon from Cyrene, who was on his way in from the country, and put the cross on him and made him carry it behind Jesus (Luke 23:26 NIV)

I am sure the last thing Simon expected that day was to be seized and ordered, ‘Carry his cross’. The cross was taken from Jesus ‘marred beyond human likeness’ (Isaiah 52:14 NIV) and raised on to the body of Simon. Simon surrendered to the weight, slowly raising one foot and then the other, following Jesus to Golgotha.

Sometimes we hear a voice. It is the Voice that calls us to carry a cross. Jesus is the one who called his followers to ‘deny themselves and take up their cross and follow’ (Matthew 16:24 NIV). We may find we are called to give up what is easiest for us, to take on that which demands complete surrender. The weight of this calling may be great and raising each foot, each step of the way, challenging.

Taking up a cross is not an easy calling. It stands in opposition to any form of Christianity that pursues and proclaims success, wealth, health and ongoing happiness.

My dad has lived with Parkinson’s disease. Putting one foot in front of the other is extremely hard work. Sometimes a tap on his leg reminds his brain to activate the raising of his foot. Following Jesus under the weight of his calling can be significantly hard work. Someone has said that simply putting one foot in front of the other is the hard work of holiness. Holiness is faithfulness to carrying our cross as we follow Jesus.

I do not know what the Lord is calling you to today. I do know that he calls. Sometimes his call is unexpected. Perhaps today he is tapping you, gently giving you strength to simply raise one foot and put it in front of the other, speaking the words, ‘but whoever loses their life for me will find it’ (Matthew 16:25 NIV).

Make some space to listen today. What is the Lord calling you to?