Voluntary Death

Greetings Dear Reader,

As my feet hit the floor each morning, I rehearse the same words as a prayer to open my day. It is a simple recitation of words that mean a great deal to me. The thoughts are not new ones. Jonathan Edwards expressed similar feelings:

“I have been to God this morning and told Him I have given myself wholly to Him. I have given every power, so that for the future I claim no right to myself in any respect. I have expressly promised Him, for by His grace I will not fail. I take Him as my whole portion and felicity, looking upon nothing else as any part of my happiness.”

I have been doing this for almost a year as my way of taking up my cross daily to follow Christ. On days when I am obedient, the next morning is sweet during this time. On days when I am not, the act is painful and I sometimes avoid it. Then the commitment nags at me. I confess my sin and can move back to the sweetness of following Christ.

One of the things that drives me back to the cross is the reminder that even though my sin put Christ on the cross, no one put Christ on the cross. He had legions of angels at his disposal. God incarnate does not go anywhere unwillingly. No one forces Christ down way of sorrows. No one flogs God without his allowing it. No mortal drives nails into his hands and feet without him taking on mortality so they have hands and feet to nail.

Christ never asks us to do anything he is unwilling to do. He never asks us to blaze a trail. He only asks us to follow. He never asks us to walk alone and he carries us when we cannot walk. Once I have given my life back to God in the mornings, the remainder of the day seems sweeter. The problems seem less challenging because I am not alone. After all, the view from the cross is far above my problems.

“But there's a peaceful refrain God'll sing in your brain when you put the nails to your hands and your feet.” – Waterdeep

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn
Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every scribe who has become a disciple of the kingdom of heaven is like a home owner. He brings new and old things out of his treasure store."