Taking Up the Cross Daily
Luke 9:23
He said to all, “If anyone desires to come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me.
World English Bible
The cross is not a piece of jewelry. In Jesus' day, it was an instrument of death. When He tells us to take up our cross daily, He is calling for the daily death of self — our will, our pride, our insistence on control.
Notice the word "daily." This is not a one-time surrender but a recurring decision. Every morning presents a fresh choice: will I follow my own agenda or Christ's? Will I protect my comfort or pursue obedience? The cross is picked up not once but continually.
Self-denial is countercultural. We are told to assert ourselves, promote ourselves, and put ourselves first. But Jesus says the opposite. True life begins when we stop living for ourselves and start living for Him.
Taking up the cross daily is not a punishment. It is a privilege. It means we are walking the same road our Savior walked — and we are following Him to resurrection.
Reflect
- What does daily self-denial look like in my current circumstances?
- Where am I resisting the cross because the cost feels too personal?
- Am I picking up my cross each morning, or leaving it where I dropped it yesterday?
Pray
Ask Jesus to help you pick up your cross today. Pray for the willingness to deny yourself and for the faith to trust that following Him, even through suffering, leads to life.