John 19v14-17
It was the day of Preparation of the Passover; it was about noon.
“Here is your king,” Pilate said to the Jews.
But they shouted, “Take him away! Take him away! Crucify him!”
“Shall I crucify your king?” Pilate asked.
“We have no king but Caesar,” the chief priests answered.
Finally Pilate handed him over to them to be crucified.
So the soldiers took charge of Jesus. Carrying his own cross, he went out to the place of the Skull (which in Aramaic is called Golgotha).
After hours of being beaten, mocked, blindfolded and spat on, Jesus was given his cross to carry to the place where he would be crucified. Jesus said ‘if anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me’ (Matthew 16v24). What does taking up your cross and following Jesus look like for you?
You never said it would be easy, Lord. Following you takes perseverance and commitment. I pray that I would take up my cross and follow you Jesus, even when it is hard. Help me to remember, in those difficult times, that work for the Kingdom of God is always worth it. Amen
