In the past, I’ve mentioned a gold cross necklace that I received as a gift from a good friend. It has come to be an important piece of jewelry for me and I wear it often…most every day.

I find it interesting however, that there are no other crosses in my home. I have a couple that I place on my Christmas tree as ornaments, but that’s it. Just the small gold cross I place around my neck.

My mind wandered and wondered about this. This symbol. This Christian symbol is to have some meaning in my life, isn’t it? It should be a reminder first and foremost that Jesus’ willing sacrifice on the cross was for me. My sin was nailed to that cross along with Jesus.

But Scripture tells us that we have our own cross to bear. Listen to Jesus’ words. “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it. What good is it for a man to gain the whole world and yet lose or forfeit his very self?” (Luke 9:23-25 – NIV)

As a believer, first I must deny myself. It’s in this process that we are able to come into agreement with Jesus and the life-changing ideas we find in Scripture. We can no longer live as the world lives, but we are called to live as God’s children.

Then, I am to take up my cross daily. In Jesus’ day, a cross was used for one purpose. Death. Jesus asked these believers to die. Not physically, although some of these believers would be martyred, but spiritually. He asks the same of us.

Then Jesus says to follow Him. Wherever He may lead. Wherever He intends to go. We are to obediently follow Him.

The Apostle Paul shares his experience of this process in Galatians 2:20 (NIV). “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”

This should be the way we live our lives. This is the way of life to which we are called. We surrender our desires. We surrender our purposes. We surrender our plans. And we take up the purposes, desires and plans of God.

As I put on my cross necklace, I am reminded once again of God’s love for me. That Jesus suffered through it all, for me. I wear this symbol for all to see what great love the Father has for His children.

“This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.” (1 John 4:9-10)

After knowing of this sacrifice, it should be our deepest desire to live a life that Jesus asked. Deny self. Take up my cross daily. Follow Him.

Will you join me?

Grace and peace be yours in abundance,

Donna