“Take Your Cross And Follow Christ!”

“Take Your Cross And Follow Christ!”
The Lord Jesus Christ is the “Prince of Peace.”(is.9:6). When Jesus was born “a great company of the heavenly host” announced his birth to the shepherds with the song, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth pesce to men on whom his favour rests”(Lk.2:14). When Jesus promised us the Holy Spirit, he also said, “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives”(Jn.14:27).
Yes, the peace which Jesus has left with us is different from the pesce offered by the world. The peace offered by the world lacks justice and so carries in itself seeds of strife.
Peace is beautiful! You may be a lover of peace, but you cannot live in peace if your troublesome neighbour does not so desire. Peace is not the absence of strife; peace is the full implementation of justice. Such is the peace which Christ Jesus offers. The peace of Christ is the total well-being and inner rest of spirit for the believers and in fellowship with God. True peace is a gift of God.
God’s peace is necessarily a function of justice. To be on the side of Christ is to crave for justice. But since humanity is steeped in injustices and crooked ways, the disciple of Christ who pursues the path of genuine peace will always find self in the midst of conflicts and disagreements.
As such, the presence of the Prince of Peace can become a source of conflict right from among family members and extending outwards.
True discipleship is like walking a tightrope across a ravine. True discipleship is about ignoring the risks to life and standing up to what Jesus Christ stands for – even if it means death! True discipleship is to take your cross and follow Christ, despite the odds. And if you lose your life for his sake, you will find it (Mt.10:34-39).
My friend, the Lord Jesus Christ is telling you, “Take your cross and follow me!” This is not about self-abnegation for the sake of peace; it is about sacrificial pursuance of peace even when you are abased or threatened.
Prayer: Holy Spirit help me not to remain comfortable in my comfort zone but to carry my cross and follow you. Amen!
Have a blessed day! Peace be with you!