Take Up Your Cross

Many have already heard the popular quote from Dietrich Bonhoeffer that says, "When Christ calls a man, he bids him come and die."

Indeed, Jesus calls us to 'take up our cross' if we are to follow him. Can you imagine being lost out in the desert alone? No water. No food. No hope for survival. Suddenly a man steps from behind a rock and tells you to follow. So you follow. As you talk, you discover that he's been here in this desert for quite some time. He must know how to survive!

Then he hits you with the truth. He's survived the desert because he died there. What? He knows the secret to living where no man can live - you have to die!

That scenario just doesn't make sense does it? You can't live if you've already died.

But that's exactly what Jesus did and exactly what he is doing and exactly what he calls us to do. Where we may say "You can't be alive if you're dead." He says "You can't really live until you've died."

What do you think?