When He had called the people unto Himself, with His disciples also, he said unto them, “Whoever will come to Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.” (Mark 8: 34).
Crucifixion was among the most horrific forms of death known I the ancient world. It was practiced by the Egyptians and others long before the Romans popularized it. So when Jesus spoke of the cross in His teachings on discipleship, the Twelve would have understood the reference. But they wouldn’t have understood the high cost involved until they witnessed Jesus taking up His own cross on Golgotha.
Long after connecting death with discipleship, Jesus made another reference on the night before His death: “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” (John 15: 13). While many followers of Jesus have suffered death for His sake since, the apostle Paul explained how dying for Jesus applies to all: spiritual death when one dies to self and sin to identify with Christ. Even if one dies physically for Jesus, dying daily to self and sin is also a high price.
Jesus warned against not counting the cost of being His disciples, a cost that must be reckoned with daily. But there is a calming presence of God.
Psalm 46: 1 says; “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.”
When the riots and violent protest struck Portland, Oregon in early 2020, one pastor fought to share Jesu with his community. Reverend Aaron Bennett of Garden Church in downtown Portland said, “Don’t give up on Portland. This is a place filed with people that Christ has died for.” He said that his desire was to establish a calming presence in the midst of the unrest because that reflects the presence of God.
Our God is close at hand, not far away, and the very name Immanuel means “God with us.” When turmoil erupts I our lives – and we never know when things will go wrong – we should stay as calm as possible because this reflects the calming presence of our Savior. He is a “very present help in trouble.” The apostle Paul said, “The Lord is as hand. Be anxious for nothing.”
If you feel trouble today, remember that the Lord is at hand. He is with you. he is near. Visualize Him standing beside you, and let His calmness fill your heart.
Psalm 33: 1 says; “Rejoice in the Lord, O ye righteous; for praise is comely for the upright.”
Charles Spurgeon once told of an old clergyman who said that a line of praise was even better that a page of prayer – that “praise was the highest, noblest, best, most satisfying, and most healthful occupation in which a Christian man could be found.”
If that’s true, how can we praise the Lord as we go through the day?
When we look out our morning windows, we should pause to take in the sky, looking for rays of sunshine, whisps of clouds, drops of rain, flakes of snow– each and every one crafted from the artistry of the Almighty. When we have our breakfast and eat our meals, we should pause to thank God for His generous nature, for He provides us with everything to enjoy. AS we drive to work or take up the housecleaning, we should sing a song of praise, even it it’s simply in our mind. As dusk and darkness fall over the landscape, we should remember God’s faithfulness.
Praising our Savior strengthens our faith, steadies our nerves, and minimizes our troubles.
He surrounds you twenty – four hours a day. He is in you, with you, and about you.