Dead to old, alive to new…

Today’s devotional offers a good illustration of what it means to be dead to my old life and living in the new. When I was a child, I loved to make little rooms in the forest beside our house, ride horses, play with our dogs, and play all day. I did not like housework, especially dusting and was not interested in cooking. But when I became an adult woman, my feelings were reversed and I enjoyed the things I once avoided and could not be bothered with the things I once loved.

In other words, I “took up the cross” to my childish play and no longer wanted to do those things. I became delighted in the pursuits of maturity and left behind the pleasures of childhood. While this is not a perfect illustration (I still love horses and hate dusting), it does illustrate what it means to take up the cross and die to my old life and live the new life.

Some Christians look at the Christian life as a child might view the adult life — thinking it means giving up the things they love and to do the things they hate. They call this “taking up the cross” and actually think God enjoys their grudging service. However, this idea totally misses what Jesus meant when He said:

If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. (Matthew 16:24)

When God saved me, I entered His family as a babe in Christ. As the Bible says, I needed to grow up through realizing the goodness of God. He is not a mean taskmaster:

Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation— if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good. (1 Peter 2:2–3)

Perhaps the problem with those who think that doing the will of God is “grudging service” that gives up everything they enjoy is that they have not spent enough time in the Word of God (pure spiritual milk) to taste His incredible goodness. Or it could be that they are clinging to the ‘playtime’ of their former life, preferring to stay in control of what they want to do instead of submitting to the good will of God. This submission is a choice — to turn from that worldly way of thinking and allowing God to transform my mind. In that process, I learn that His will is good, more than acceptable, even perfect.

I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. (Romans 12:1–2)

As the devotional says, and as He is teaching me, if my affections are set on the will of God, I will love it. If I love it, then how can it seem a great burden? This means saying what David said and what Jesus repeated:

I delight to do your will, O my God; your law is within my heart.” (Psalm 40:8)

Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work. (John 4:34)

God wants me set on His will and delighting in it. This is possible as my new life in Christ changed my heart. I now recognize that I am dead to anything that is contrary to Jesus. This is my cross — that recognition that I am dead to the world and alive only in Christ. How heavy that cross can be is determined by how mature I am in Christ.

PRAY: Today’s ‘cross’ is being dead to my plans that I can do God’s will in taking care of my husband. His pain is severe and he cannot do small things, like pick up a dropped pencil or reach something at the other end of the sofa. I’m dead to my I-wants on my to-do list and alive to the will of God that urges me to pick up or reach or do whatever is needed for my hubby. Because of You, loving Your will (and loving my husband) makes that cross a great deal lighter!