May I be willing Lord to bear
Daily my cross for Thee
Even Thy cup of grief to share
Thou hast borne all for me
Lead Me to Calvary 1921
By: Jennie Evelyn Hussey (1834 – 1925)
Listen to this simple version of this hymn as you prepare to ponder the lyrics. Please make certain to enjoy the podcast below.
Here is podcast content always available to Subscribers, sometimes to Free Members, and occasionally to everyone. Want to learn more about accessing all the additional material in the Subscriber Content Library? Click here. Or check out some other samples at our Free Member Content Library. We have lots of tools and options designed to help you be Resonant! Check them out today!!
Everyone enjoy this podcast and transcript below! It features meditative music and moments to contemplate the Scriptures and reflections shared.
Transcript may be found below, at the end of the blog.
As we conclude our journey through this hymn of commitment and our approach to Easter make time to ponder this text and all it communicates. Let’s think about this.
Gethsemane
In the garden, Jesus agony was intense. He felt the crushing weight of the sin of the world bearing down on Him. It was so overwhelming He asked His father to let the cup pass from Him. Yet when it could not Jesus surrendered to the Father’s will.
We may be willing to bear our cross for Jesus. Taking it up every day as we learn to denial our selves and surrender to God’s will. But sharing in the cup of grief that Jesus had to drink? Maybe that is a different story.
We do not carry His cross but our own. When it comes to His cup of grief, we do not have our own but instead share His cup, and His cup was more than we can comprehend. Even still we are challenged by the words of the hymn to be willing to share it.
Even Thy cup of grief to share
Jesus said to them, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink…? …And they said to him, “We are able.” And Jesus said to them, “The cup that I drink you will drink…” Mark 10:38a-39a ESV
They wanted to share His glory, to sit at His right hand and His left, but did not know the path to it was grief. They wanted to share the cup that would be given to those who rule, but did not know the only way to get it was to serve through suffering and even death.
Not only will we deny ourselves and take up our cross but willingly share in the grief of His sufferings. Hebrews 5:8 teaches that Jesus learned obedience through suffering. If it was good enough for Jesus, it is good enough for us. Drink the cup of suffering and learn obedience.
Jesus, teach me obedience through my suffering.
RESONATE!
Take a few moments and think about your perspective on suffering. God does not ask us to seek out suffering, but are we willing to embrace it when He sends it our way. Do we realize their may be something to be gained through suffering? Pray the simple prayer, “Jesus, teach me obedience through my suffering.“
Calvary
In drinking His cup of suffering Jesus took on the weight of the sin of the world. Because He did that, we do not have to. Good thing for us because we never could have anyway.
Let’s be clear. Jesus did not want to bear everything for us. He actually asked for that cup to be removed, but ultimately surrendered to the will of His Father. Really that makes His obedience even that much more remarkable.
Thou hast borne all for me
Saying, “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.” Luke 22:42 ESV
Jesus asked for that cup to be removed, so great was the anguish of it. Yet He also yielded His will to the Father. He endured agony to show His obedience to His Father and His love for us. We are invited into similar expressions of obedience and love every day. Remember.
Our self-denial is a simple and appropriate response to all that Jesus bore for us. He bore the weight of our sin and shame. He asks us to take up our cross, that emblem of self-denial, so we can find the freedom of surrender. Let Jesus lead you to Calvary again today.
RESONATE!
Jesus was willing to do His Father’s will, even though it required Him to do something He did not want to do. Our obedience will likely require us to do things we would prefer to not do as well. Pray this simple prayer, but only when you are ready for it to be answered. “Jesus, lead me to Calvary.“
Jesus, thank You for being obedient. If you had not been there would simply be no hope for me to ever follow You. Because you were obedient my becoming obedient becomes possible. Thank You Lord. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Surrendered Thinking!
Are these thoughts helping you to develop greater spiritual awareness? Sign-up in the form to the right above to get updates of new tools to help you be Resonant.
Podcast 39.4 Transcript
Welcome to Thursday Thoughts at Resonant 7, where we reflect on the reality of God and resolve to let it resound in our lives, repeatedly. Let’s think about this.
May I be willing Lord to bear
Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. Luke 14:27 ESV
Bearing your cross is a prerequisite for being a disciple, plain and simple. If you want to be one who follows Jesus bearing your cross is not optional. We must be willing to bear it, even though we do not get to choose it. God fashions our cross and we must be willing to bear it.
Daily my cross for Thee
And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.” Luke 9:23 ESV
Just in case you thought you would only have to bear it once, Jesus makes clear it is a daily practice. It gives you the vehicle to deny yourself and choose to follow Jesus instead. Are you willing to take up your cross daily? You must choose, because some days you will not want to.
Even Thy cup of grief to share
Jesus said to them, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink…? …And they said to him, “We are able.” And Jesus said to them, “The cup that I drink you will drink…” Mark 10:38a-39a ESV
They wanted to share His glory, to sit at His right hand and His left, but did not know the path to it was grief. They wanted to share the cup that would be given to those who rule, but did not know the only way to get it was to serve through suffering and even death.
Thou hast borne all for me
Saying, “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.” Luke 22:42 ESV
Jesus asked for that cup to be removed, so great was the anguish of it. Yet He also yielded His will to the Father. He endured agony to show His obedience to His Father and His love for us. We are invited into similar expressions of obedience and love every day. Remember.
Take a few moments to talk to Jesus about what has come to your mind, or listen to what He is saying to you, then I will read our text once more, with the refrain.
May I be willing Lord to bear
Daily my cross for Thee
Even Thy cup of grief to share
Thou hast borne all for me
Lest I forget Gethsemane
Lest I forget Thine agony
Lest I forget Thy love for me
Lead me to Calvary
Take the mindfulness of God’s presence cultivated in these last few minutes into the next ones and beyond. Until next time, Be Resonant.
The post Led to Calvary, Through Gethsemane appeared first on Resonant 7.
Image Attributions
Even Thy cup of grief to share – https://hopewithoutlimits.com/2014/09/19/the-ultimate-letting-go/
Thou hast borne all for me – https://www.cbsnews.com/news/mel-gibsons-lethal-weapon/
Leave a Reply