Day Three - Take Up Your Cross

Luke 14:27:
"And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple."

I like the quote from Mother Theresa:  A sacrifice to be real must cost, must hurt, must empty ourselves.  It's too easy for us to give out of our abundance.  But most of us are hard-pressed to give anymore. 

I had seen a quote recently by C.S. Lewis that said this, "The only safe rule is to give more than we can spare. Our charities should pinch and hamper us. If we live at the same level of affluence as other people who have our level of income, we are probably giving away too little."

Remember the widow who gave the two mites?  She gave all that she had.  It wasn't a great amount, but the sacrifice was huge.  I am constantly fighting the battle between my lifestyle and my giving.  I want this...I want that...but God! 

God wants us to trust Him with our everything.  He wants me...

Whatever is that thing that I hold dearly is also that thing that I need to be giving more of, if not all of.

The cross is no easy burden to bear.  It takes all we have to carry it.  In other words, we must let go of all other things that we carry...pride, reputation, selfish-desire...so that our spiritual hands are free to carry that cross. 

I am being challenged in the areas that my hands are busy and not carrying that cross.  What sacrifice could I bring to God but my life?  It's all I have that is of any heavenly value.  It's all that God would require.  Me.

I commit today to live out this third dare to Take Up My Cross and to follow Him.