The Hidden Blessing of the Cross

Followers of Jesus,

"Pick up your cross and follow me." Those are the challenging words Jesus will set before us this Sunday. Just as it was necessary for Jesus as the Christ to suffer and die for the salvation of the world, so to suffer for the sake of that Christ is a necessity for the Christian who would follow Him. 

The irony of Jesus calling us to follow Him through suffering is that during our suffering is when we feel farthest from Him. In fact, we assume that's the case. If we're suffering then we must've done something to upset God and drive Him away. Or God is punishing us by withdrawing Himself.

The reality, however, is that God draws us closer to Himself through our suffering and crosses. And that's what we'll learn on Sunday: it's actually in our suffering that Jesus often hides. He's the One who brings our crosses into our lives and He always comes along with them. Jesus never shied away from suffering; His own cross is proof of that fact. So why would we think that He is absent from our suffering? No, St. Paul sets us straight: "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? ... No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 8:35-39).

And here's the beautiful twist: while we tend to associate suffering and crosses with death and defeat, Jesus promises life and victory for those who follow Him. So we'll encourage one another Sunday to continue carrying the painful crosses Jesus has laid over our lives as we look to Him and His cross for strength and salvation.

May God richly bless your Labor Day weekend and I hope to see you on Sunday!

In Christ,

Pastor Bater