Straight from a Youth Worker's Mouth - Lenten Devotional Series: Week 4

Lent is the forty weekdays leading up to Easter, beginning on Ash Wednesday. For early Christians this time was used to prepare candidates for baptism and also became a time of penitence for those who had already been baptized. For most of us Lent has become a time of prayer, meditation and reflection.

As Christians we are to follow the way that Christ has shown us and prepared for us. We are to follow him all the way to God by way of the Cross. As we move deeper into this Lenten season there will be many things going on in our churches and in our ministries. I want to encourage you to take time for yourself, spend time following Jesus and his path to Life.

The Stations of the Cross have provided focused meditation during the Lenten season for Christ Followers all over the world. There are many forms of this tradition and many ways it has been presented and practiced. This series is based on "The Scriptural Way – Stations of the Cross." There are fourteen stations, two will be presented each week to give you an opportunity to have time to meditate and reflect on them over the course of the forty days of Lent. I pray that these devotions help you Follow Christ even closer than you already are.

Joy and Peace,
Christy Allen
[email protected]

Editor’s note: There are several different interpretations of the Stations of the Cross. This Lenten series utilizes one. For other versions, consult a theological dictionary or web resources.

Week 4 - Take up Your Cross and Follow Me

Station #7 – Jesus Bears the Cross
Read John 19:6, 15-17

After being brutally beaten, the flesh ripped from his body, Jesus must now carry his own cross up to be crucified. Knowing what lie ahead, carrying the physical cross would have been an extreme emotional and physical burden. But for Jesus it was even more than that, for he knew he was also carrying the cross for all mankind. Imagine the physical, emotional and spiritual stress and pain. Matthew 10:38 Jesus tells us to be worthy of him we must take up our cross and follow him. What images does this invoke for you after thinking about Jesus carrying his own cross?

Prayer:

Jesus, our Lord,
How we long to follow you, how we want to do all that you ask of us. We say we will follow you no matter what, we say that we will follow you anywhere. But now as we are asked to carry our own cross and follow you, are we strong enough? This broken world causes us physical, emotional and spiritual pain. Give us the strength to follow you while carrying our own crosses, inspired by you carrying the cross of all mankind, for us. Amen.

Station #8 – – Jesus is Helped by Simon the Cyrenian to Carry the Cross
Read Luke 23:26

We don’t know much about Simon, just that he was minding his own business, passing by on his way in from the country. He is seized and made to carry the cross following behind Jesus. Even here we see how we are to follow Jesus, even when we are just passing by we are sometimes asked to carry the cross for Jesus. Jesus’ cross, the cross of the world; are we not to sometimes feel the weight of the burdens of the world? And as we do, we are to do so while still following behind Jesus.

Prayer:

Savior of the World,
We know that there are times you will ask us to feel the weight of the burdens of humanity, times when we are to help carry the cross. We get so caught up in our own day to day lives that it is easy to miss what is going on around us or on the other side of the world. Help us to remember that part of following you is to mind your business as well as our own. Help us to know that you will give us the strength we need,