It's amazing that after several years of hearing the same portion of scripture that I would still see new things! What a wonderful, living Word we have from God! Previously, I had wondered why Catholic Christians made Jesus look so gangly and weak upon the crucifix. But I assume they did so because of this line that I had not remembered: "I can count all my bones" Psalm 22:17

I didn't dwell on the cross yesterday, but I awoke early today to do it. Mainly by reading several Got Questions? articles like this. I did notice another thing I hadn't noticed before as well - the sign above Jesus' head on the cross was written in at least 3 languages. I think it's entirely possible that there might not have been exact translations for each language, hence the different takes on what it said in the different Gospel accounts. Besides that, it still stands that none of the authors pretend to say their account is, in full, EXACTLY what the sign said. Otherwise, they would have written it in all 3 languages...

I still want to go back and read the whole story, in all 4 Gospels, to dwell on the cross more fully.

“Take up your cross and follow Me” means willingness to die in order to follow Jesus. It’s a call to absolute surrender. After each time Jesus commanded cross bearing, He said, “For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself? For whoever is ashamed of Me and of my words, of him will the Son of Man be ashamed when he comes in his glory and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels” (Luke 9:24-26). Although the call is tough, the reward is matchless." Got Questions?

I follow You, Lord. This road isn't easy and it WILL mean personal sacrifice. It HAS meant personal sacrifice. After all, who wants to get up a couple hours early to read about a gory death? There are lots of choices that we make daily to deny our own selfish desires to follow You. But the rewards of doing so are much greater than anything we could "lose"! Lord, keep hounding me with the call to focus on the cross. May it follow me into today and beyond, for as long as it takes for You to finish Your work therein.