1/23/08 - Life Journal - Can I Bear it?

And as they led him away, they seized one Simon of Cyrene, who was coming in from the country, and laid on him the cross, to carry it behind Jesus.
Luke 23:26

That dude had no idea the honor he had and the place he would hold in history. Jesus's own disciples didn't understand the significance of Jesus' sacrifice and what His death on the cross meant in terms of the salvation of millions, so why should we expect any different from Simon. There's no written proof one way or another (correct me if I'm wrong) in Luke at least that can help us determine if he was a follower of Jesus or not so we can't really say what he was feeling. Whatever it was I can almost guarantee it was bass ackward! If he was a follower he was drenched in guilt, being the man carrying the cross that He would be nailed to and if he was loyal to Caiaphas or Caesar he was thrilled about the honor in helping do away with this rabble rouser.

I know the outcome. I know why Jesus was nailed to that cross. I enjoy the spoils of His victory. Yet I still disobey. I'm the inverse of Simon. When I DON'T carry His cross my body tells me I should be honored, I'm doing it myself, look at everything I have, I'm awesome! Then, with a swift kick from the Spirit, my soul tells me of the guilt I should be feeling, he's dying for me, take the cross from Him, the weight of which is my sin in the first place.

Jesus, it was for me that You died that horrible death and endured the heinous torture. Let me be Simon. Let me carry your cross and follow.