Day 7: Wednesday, March 1, 2023
Margaret Lester
The Carrying Of The Cross
Scripture: Then they compelled a certain man, Simon a Cyrenian, the father of Alexander and Rufus, as he was coming out of the country and passing by, to bear His cross. (Mark 15:21 NKJV)
Devotion: Christ’s agony in the Garden, the Scourging at the Pillar, The Crowning with Thorns, the carrying of the Cross, and the Crucifixion invoke feelings of sadness and sorrow. Christ’s carrying of the cross has a lesson for all Christians. He was weak, hungry, bloodied, scourged, and agonized by His experiences on the Mount of Olives. In His anguish, He prayed with great intensity, and his sweat became drops of blood.
As Christians, we all have crosses to bear. Our crosses may be illnesses, grief, loss of jobs, and other challenges. As the heavy load of his cross burdened Jesus, Simon of Cyrene stepped in to help him carry his cross.
In our own lives, there may be many Simon Cyrenians. Help can come in kind words, doctors and nurses helping us recover from illnesses, people comforting us in moments of grief, and teachers, pastors, and social workers going beyond the call of duty to help us. May we live our lives as cross-carriers for persons we encounter in our daily lives.
Prayer: Thank you, God, for the people in our daily lives who step in to help us during our varied challenges. Strengthen our lives by the example of Jesus’ suffering so that we may continue to live in union with you in your kingdom. Amen.
AW
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