Carry Your Cross

Last Friday was the first time I had been to Stations of the Cross service. It was interesting for me in spite of the sand gnats and feeling rushed.

I went back out today with my son and just walked the trail at my leisure. I thought about the stations and the trip our Lord made from Gethsemane to the empty tomb. It was a trip He made knowing full well ahead of time what lay at the end. He knew His purpose and His destiny. He knew the pain and anguish and suffering and humiliation that awaited Him. And He went anyway out of His great and gracious love for us.

Ever since I went to service on Friday, I've been singing a song to myself by Third Day. It's called Carry My Cross. It's written in first person and the speaker is Jesus. The lead singer has this deep gravely voice that fits in with my picture of the big burly "manly man" Jesus the tough guy carpenter. It's about His accepting His destiny and purpose even though it going to be hard.

A friend of ours recently sent me a letter with the definition of destiny as "a non-transferable assignment from God for the benefit of His Kingdom." That was what Jesus had. He was assigned something that no one else could do for humanity. He was the only one who could do the job and He accepted his destiny.

What destiny, what nontransferrable assignment has God given you? Are you trying to get out of it or are you accepting responsibility for your role in His kingdom?

anything but typical

Carry My Cross by Third Day

As long as I remember
I’ve been walking through the wilderness
Praying to the Father
And waiting for my time
I’ve come here with a mission
And soon I’ll give my life for this world

I’m praying in the garden
And I’m looking for a miracle
I find the journey hard but
It’s the reason I was born
Can this cup be passed on
Lord, I pray your will be done
In this world

So I’ll carry my cross
And I’ll carry the shame
To the end of the road
Through the struggle and pain
And I’ll do it for love
No, it won’t be in vain
Yes, I’ll carry my cross
And I’ll carry the shame

I feel like I’m alone here
And I’m treated like a criminal
The time has come for me now
Even though I’ve done no wrong
Father, please forgive them
They know not what they’ve done
In this world

So I'll carry my cross
And I'll carry the shame
To the end of the road
Through the struggle and the pain
And I'll do it for love
No, it won't be in vain
I'll carry my cross
And I'll carry the shame

Three more days and I’ll be coming back again
Three more days and I’ll be coming back again