The Cross

I decided to take this time during Lent to reflect on a scripture verse each day.  This new endeavor was inspired by Ruth Ayres who wrote 40 Stories of Lent last year.  Thank you Ruth for your inspiration and for sharing your faith so that others can learn and grow through your words.  

And He said to all, "If any man would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.  For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it." ~Luke 9:23

Several days ago, 21 Egyptian Christians died at the hands of evil.  The picture of them kneeling with evil standing behind them is one that replays in my mind over and over again.  They took up their crosses and lost their lives for their belief in God.

Before this verse in Luke's Gospel, Jesus had just fed thousands of people with only five loaves of bread and two fish.  Jesus was praying with his disciples and he asks them.

"Who do the crowds say that I am?"

They reply with John the Baptist and state that others believe that one of the prophets of old had risen.

Then he said to them, "But who do you say that I am?"  and Peter answered, "The Christ of God."

Those 21 men died because they answered the same as the disciples, because they believed in Jesus.  They died for their faith, while I am still trying to figure out how to live mine.  

This act of martyrdom makes my faith seem small and weak, but I want it to be strong.  I want to not only find the love of the cross, but to fully live it for all to see.  That is what this journey is all about.