I Will Trade the Old Cross for a Crown......theWayfarer 4/9/16

I Will Trade the Old Cross for a Crown
 4/9/16

Luke 9:23King James Version (KJV)

²³ And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.

Each, who would seek peace, must first experience turmoil, must first experience all things that are the opposite of that peace in order to recognize peace when it is finally found.

There can be no order or quietude that is sought or recognized, without knowing the chaos that is the opposite of them that first provided the need to seek them.

Rest is only recognized for its true value by those having experienced exhaustion that builds both the need for that rest, and the strength to carry heavier loads, to go farther, than previously gone, in short to reach the full capability of the body that is accomplished only by the application of both the stress of exercise and the relief of that stress through the rest received.

Still, peace, order, quietude and rest must be sought, and the necessity of them understood and found or the result is inevitably the destruction of body, mind, and soul.

Stated another way, perhaps, more clearly, there is no reward without labor, any reward not requiring that labor is the antithesis of reward, eventually, in and of itself, destructive to any who think to achieve without participation in the achievement.

Luke 12:45-48King James Version (KJV)

⁴⁵ But and if that servant say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming; and shall begin to beat the menservants and maidens, and to eat and drink, and to be drunken;

⁴⁶ The lord of that servant will come in a day when he looketh not for him, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him in sunder, and will appoint him his portion with the unbelievers.

⁴⁷ And that servant, which knew his lord's will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes.

⁴⁸ But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.

The harder the labor, the sweeter the rest!

Conversely, labor not given, known to be required, can result only in punishment for the failure to have accomplished that required labor.

“ Preacher, are you preaching works?”

 NO, in fact, the opposite! Works alone do not meet the prerequisite of labor, but bring, all too often the reward sought in place of that labor, that comes only with the true labor of repentance, both from the individual who would do the works, AND FROM THOSE for whom those works are done who refuse to see any need for repentance, having been rewarded without the expenditure of their own required labor.

Still, there is a reward that comes with the denial of self, and all that that denial encompasses when that denial of self is not merely for purposes of advancing self.

The old song, from which today’s title comes, was written by Johnson Oatman Jr. and JM Henson, yet owned, and copyrighted eventually by neither, but by R.E. Winsett of Dayton Tennessee.

I Will Trade the old Cross for a Crown 

“I shall not bear the cross through yon city, when the burdens of life are laid down,

When I knock on the portals of heaven, I will trade the old cross for a crown.

Though the cross often times has been heavy, and oft fortune on me seems to frown,

But how happy I’ll be over yonder, when I trade the old cross for a crown.

Oft my bark has been tossed on life’s billows, and each wave tried my vessel to drown.

But no storm cloud can harm me forever, when I trade the old cross for a crown.

Every cross that I bear for my Savior will at last when He calls be laid down.

And my sorrows will all be forgotten when I trade the old cross for a crown.

Yes I’ll trade the old cross for a crown when the burdens of life are laid down.

When the pearl gates for me shall swing open, I will trade the old cross for a crown.”

Life itself comes with many burdens that require stamina and strength and endurance in order to navigate through its journey.

That navigation depends on whose hand is allowed to control the reins, and on what course is taken to arrive at the final destination.

Each can carry only their own burdens through that journey, occasionally helping others to carry, for a time, but ultimately carrying only what they are capable of carrying.

Each of us must carry our own crosses as a part of that burden, assisted only by Christ Jesus, Whose cross carried the combined weight of all those carried by us.

Each of us will carry that cross only so far, then no farther, as its weight has already been assumed, and carried for us beyond that point by Jesus.

No I shall not bear the cross through yon city. It has already been borne for me, and requires no further carrying!

While here the burdens must be carried, and with help can be.

 Matthew 11:27-30King James Version (KJV)

²⁷ All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him.

²⁸ Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

²⁹ Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.

³⁰ For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

Having released the weight of my own burden to Him, I pray that others too need not bear that cross through yon city… that they too take an easier yoke and lighter burden by accepting what has already been done for them by Christ Jesus through his gift of grace that alone may release the weight of the one placed on them only by themselves.

Yes, crosses must be carried, burdens must be carried, but need not be carried alone, and need not be carried beyond the point they are assumed by Christ.

He has established, and IS, the WAY by which those burdens may be released. He has established and IS the TRUTH that provides for the rest that is to be found only in the LIFE that is given through HIM.

When the burden seems too heavy, kneel, and allow Him to grant peace, order, quietude and rest along with the strength and endurance for the remainder of the journey.

2 Timothy 1:12 King James Version (KJV)

¹² For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.

Amen and Amen

theWayfarer