It Takes Empty Hands to Carry The Cross

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%2016;%20Mark%208&version=NIV

“If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.” – Matthew 16:24; Mark 8:24

I have to admit I’ve been holding on to some things pretty tightly that made the whole cross carrying thing a little difficult. To deny one’s self means to stop making self the object of one’s life and actions. I’d like to think that I don’t do that, but this week God had a talk with me about this – to be honest he stepped on my toes a little because what he had to say to me I didn’t want to hear. There were things I was clinging to that were not the cross. There were things I held in my hands that I was only willing to put into his if he wanted to do the same thing as I wanted. I was praying, “they will be done as long as they will is my will”, rather than asking him to conform my will to His.

But here’s the problem – when you cling to stuff so tightly, those things get burdensome and I was so weary. I thank God that his mercies are new every day, that he is a patient and compassionate God who will bring us back to where we need to be. I am so thankful he is a daddy-God who lovingly – even though it sometimes hurts – forces us to open up our hands and give what we cling to so that we can wrap our arms around his knees, lay our heads in his lap, and rest so that we again can find strength and empty, able hands ready to pick up the cross.

So the above verse resonated loudly with me this week – and reminded me of something I wrote several years ago. A lesson that I needed to re-learn and one I feel is worth sharing:

It Takes Empty Hands To Carry a Cross

It’s interesting to see what little children will hold on to for security. For some, it is a favorite blanket – I know some parents who have bought several of the same blankets so their child can have one while they wash the other – or in case one is lost. Some carry a doll, some a Teddy Bear. My nephew has to hold on to a cloth diaper when he goes to sleep. For me, it was what I called my “widow piwwow” (little pillow in adult language). Some children must have their source of security just at night – but I know others – like Linus from the Peanuts cartoon, that drag theirs will them everywhere they go. And usually it is literally dragging behind them because their little hands are busy and full of other things.

I wonder if we don’t treat Christ and the cross a little bit like Linus’ security blanket. We drag it behind us for security while our hands are busy holding on, controlling, manipulating and working out the details of our lives. One night I was reflecting on Luke 9:23 which says, “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.” I found myself writing this prayer in my prayer journal, “Lord, help me to pick up my cross every day and follow you” and then added, almost like a post script, “help me to lay down my desires so that I may do so.” And that’s when it struck me – in order to pick up my cross and carry it high as my banner, my hands have to be empty. I can’t hold on to my desires with one hand and pick up the cross with the other. I can’t hold on to my worries and my desires and pick up my cross at all. To carry a cross, it takes empty hands. We have to be willing to lay down the other things we thought we wanted to hold on to, or we’ll simply be a Linus dragging the cross through all the dirt, mud, and gunk we encounter.

The other verse that was on my heart was from 2 Timothy 1:12 – “Yet I am not ashamed, because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that his is able to guard what I have entrusted to him for that day.” When a little child grows weary, they often times will hand over everything they’re trying to carry to a parent, who they know can keep it safe, so that their arms are free to fully embrace that security blanket they carry. They don’t question the parent before they hand over what they consider the treasure worthy of their protection – even though so often is as simple as a handful of pennies or a pretty rock they found along they way. They have a child-like trust – they KNOW their parent will guard their treasure.

How often do we carry something we think is so important but in God’s eyes is simply a pretty rock or and old, worn out blanket that keeps us from fully embracing our source of security? And unlike that child, how often do we fear handing it over to God for safe keeping and so trudge along carrying our worthless treasure and dragging our cross behind us.

Are you willing to walk with your cross dragging behind you through the mud – or as one who desires to be a disciple, will you hand over your treasures to the God whom you have believed? After all – it takes empty hands to fully carry the cross.

Lord, forgive me – how silly I have been. Give me a child-like faith that is willing to let you carry everything else – to simply empty my hands so that I can pick up my cross. Lord, may I seek every day to know you more, so that I can say like Paul, I KNOW WHOM I HAVE BELIEVED. Lord, may I be convinced that you are able to guard what I have entrusted to you – and may I be willing to entrust it all. Lord, I want empty hands every day that are ready to fully embrace the security of the cross.

Blessings sweet friends - I pray that our Daddy-God helps you release your treasures to his hands, because he is MORE than able.

Today's post was submitted by Carol Bartels