Good morning Father, Son, and Spirit, I begin my day receiving you love, grace and mercy.
Early in the morning, after forming a plan, the chief priests with the elders and the experts in the law and the whole Sanhedrin tied Jesus up, led him away, and handed him over to Pilate… So Pilate spoke to them (crowds) again, “Then what do you want me to do with the one you call king of the Jews?” They shouted back, “Crucify him!...” So the soldiers led him into the palace….Again and again they struck him on the head with a staff and spit on him.… Those who passed by defamed him, (Mark15:1, 12, 16,19, 29)
Jesus, as I read this passage this morning it hits my heart and saddens me how completely alone and abandoned You were in your suffering. The chapter before tells us that when You were arrested, “all the disciples left him and fled.” (Mark 14:50) In this passage everyone else rallies together against you: Chief priests, Elders, experts in the law, the crowds, Pilot, soldiers, passers by; all wanted to humiliate and hurt You, You were completely alone.
All except one man, Simon of Cyrene. “The soldiers forced a passerby to carry his cross, Simon of Cyrene, who was coming in from the country” (Mark 15:21) One man stepped out, embraced your cross, entered into your suffering, and walked with you. The passage said he was forced, but he still did it.
Lord help me be Simon today and everyday of my life. Carrying your cross is not the popular thing to do. Those in the crowd around me (my co-workers, classmates, family, friends neighbors) may ridicule me. Like Simon, honestly in my flesh it may not be what I want to do and it may be way beyond my comfort zone. Walking close with You, I will receive the brunt of people’s anger and get hit in the face by the spit that is intended for You. However, today I have to make a choice;: Will I be like Simon, or will I be like the rest of the crowd. Holy Spirit give me the strength, fill me with love for Jesus and my neighbors, and instill in me a heart of worship to embrace Jesus, embrace His cross, and carry it into a a desperate world that needs its love and redemption.
My family, I pray today you choose to be like Simon and not like the crowds around him or the crowds around you. I pray as you step into the Monday of a new week which is also Holy Week, you step out of your comfort zone, embrace Jesus, carry your cross, and speak the love of Jesus into the crowds today. I pray you will share Jesus and your faith with at least one person today and every day of Holy Week, in Jesus’ name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you my friends!!
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