Carry Your Cross- Deny Yourself

In the previous post I included Mark 8:34 through the rest of the chapter.  Either open you Bible and read that or look at the previous day's post.

Jesus says, "He (you and I) must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me."

So, part of what it means to take up one's cross is to deny one's self.  We hate that phrase, don't we?  Why would I deny myself?  If Jesus is better why should I have to deny myself anything?

I believe that to deny yourself means to take yourself off the throne of your life.  In other words, get out of the driver's seat of your life and let Him drive.

William Ernest Henley wrote a famous poem entitled Invictus.  This poem is about a man who both denies God the drivers seat and hates the idea of God existing at all.

"Out of the night that covers me,
black as the Pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be
for my unconquerable soul.

In the fell clutch of circumstance
I have not winced nor cried aloud.
Under the bludgeonings of chance
my head is bloody, but unbowed.

Beyond this place of wrath and tears
looms but the horror of the shade,
and yet the menace of the years
finds, and shall find, me unafraid.

It matters not how strait the gate,
how charged with punishments the scroll.
I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul."

Well, that sounds great, huh?  That is what it looks like not to deny yourself the driver's seat, or should I say helm.

Below is a poetic response to Invictus by Dorothea Day entitled My Captain.

"Out of the night that dazzles me,
bright as the sun from pole to pole,
I thank the God I know to be
for Christ the conquerer of my soul.

Since His the sway of circumstance,
I would not wince nor cry aloud.
Under the rule which men call chance
my head with joy is humbly bowed.

Beyond this place of sin and tears
that life with Him! And His the aid,
despite the menace of the years,
Keeps, and shall keep, me unafraid.

I have no fear, though strait the gate
He cleared from punishment the scroll.
Christ is the Master of my fate:
Christ is the Captain of my soul."

How much better is that?!  When Christ is the Captain of your soul then, and only then, you can truly be unafraid.  To deny yourself is to gain more than you could ever provide you.  You can provide nothing for yourself in comparison to what Christ wants to do for you!

Pick up your cross.  Deny yourself and gain it all today.