"Taking up Your Cross is a choice"

                     "As they led him away, they seized simon from cyrene, 

                      Who was on his way in from the country, and put the 

                        cross on him and made him carry it behind Jesus"

                                                   LUKE 23:26

An old Story was told of a boy's choir who wanted to begin their concert by marching down the aisle of the church. Bearing crosses, they would be singing, "Onward Christian soldiers, marching as to war....." 

      Not so," cried the rector of the church. "We will not have barbaric crosses in the church." So the crosses were collected and stacked behind the door in the church office. Not to be outstaged, however, the boys sang, "Onward Christian soldiers, marching as to war, with the cross of Jesus hid behind the door." Taking up your cross is a choice.

      When the cross is removed, there is no Gospel, only a religious form void of meaning and purpose. When you think you can follow Jesus without taking up your cross, you are as foolish as one who expect to enjoy a garden without having to cultivate the soil.

     Jesus stated His premise in simple yet strong words, He must take up his cross..."when Christian, the main character of John Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress, got to the cross, his burden began rolling downhill and was consumed by the open tomb. What a beautiful picture of ridding ourselves of the burdens that weight us down and keep us from running and leaping with joy!

      It is impossible to have the fellowship of christ apart from following Him by taking up your cross. When you follow christ, you no longer control your destiny, but neither do you have to worry about the future. You follow Him one step at a time.