The Cross on a Donkey

We’ve already looked at the stubborn nature of a donkey; we see how our human nature resembles this creature, like it or not. Stubborn as a mule, donkey, burro, whatever, the message still seems to be the same: we’re resistant to change, improvement and obedience.

Yep, I said it: obedience. It’s one of the major principles concerning God we fail miserably at. We’re too busy braying in our own messes.

Nevertheless, God still desires we follow Him. That’s part of the “why” behind Jesus Christ. Jesus is our template for following after- and living for God. Jesus is the example we need to navigate through this thing called life.

But we do enjoy our braying, digging our stubborn feet into whatever muck we see as our answer, as our fun.

Still, Jesus motions to us, coaxing us to follow Him, to follow after God. And by following, we need to pick up our own crosses…

“…‘If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.’”
Matthew 16:24; Mark 8:34

Yeah, that’s not exactly fun times.

“But He was pierced through for our transgressions,
He was crushed for our iniquities;
The chastening for our well-being fell upon Him,
And by His scourging we are healed.”
Isaiah 53:5

But the Cross isn’t about fun times; it’s about love.

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. “
John 3:16

In any case, how we perceive the Cross- and our relation to it- determines what we will and won’t do.

Ah, yes, we’re back to attitude again. What’s our attitude here?

Are we marked, affected by the Cross of Jesus?

“Then he said to them all: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.”
Luke 9:23

Is it relevant to us? Is it inclusive?

And if so, how? Are we carrying our own crosses?

We are commanded to do so, after all. God never told us this would be easy. But it’s a package deal. If we take part in the rewards, we also need to accept the responsibility of the Cross as well. Are we doing that?

We can all do something to glorify God with our lives. Whatever issue, disease, disorder or problem we face, we can commit it to God, taking up that situation as our cross and follow Jesus’ example. If we refuse to do that, is Jesus, then relevant to our lives?

“And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.”
Luke 14:27

Just what DOES the Cross mean to us, anyway? Does it affect us? Do we still see ourselves as hopelessly stubborn?

Hopelessly stubborn… there’s no such thing, really. Scripture tells us God knows our faulty nature.

“For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust.”
Psalms 103:14

And, in spite of our stubborn, donkey nature, can choose to be marked by the power of the Cross. There’s a wonderful legend of the donkey. It reads as follows:

“Legend tells us the donkey that carried Jesus into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday followed Him to Calvary. Appalled by the sight of Jesus on the cross, the donkey turned away but could not leave. It is said that the shadow of the cross fell upon the shoulders and back of the donkey. A cross marking found on many donkeys today remains a testimony of the love and devotion of a humble, little donkey.”

We are marked, marked by the Cross. But we need to make the decision to accept the Cross, to accept our own crosses, in our lives.

It’s a lifelong, imperfect process. But it starts with a decision; each of us is capable of making this decision, no matter how stubborn we may be.
The Cross is more powerful than our stubborn streak. We can choose to see it as that in our lives.

Is the Cross relevant? To your life? To your stubborn nature? To your problems and obstacles?

God hasn’t given up on you; He’s given you the Cross.

If He can use donkeys numerous times throughout Scripture, how much more can He use you?

Spend some time in contact with the Cross. Let it create a shadow, a mark, on you! Copyright © 2012 by Sheryle Cruse