Taking Up my Cross - Part 3

Today will be day #1 for potty-training. I feel like I need to post signs all over the living room as encouragement to me during this process. I should post signs like, "Love on Titus," "Practice self-control," etc. I just might do that. :)

CROSS (Strong's Concordance)

Mark 8:34

"When He had called the people to Himself, with His disciples also, He said to them, 'Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.'"

Mark 10:21

"Then Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, 'One thing you lack: Go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, take up the cross, and follow Me.'"

Mark 15:21

"Then they compelled a certain man, Simon a Cyrenian, the father of Alexander and Rufus, as he was coming out of the country and passing by, to bear His cross."

Mark 15:30-32

"save Yourself, and come down from the cross!

     Likewise the chief priests also, mocking among themselves with the scribes, said, 'He saved others; Himself He cannot save. Let the Christ, the King of Israel, descend now from the cross, that we may see and believe."

Personal Notes

1. Mark 8:34 - There has to be desire. I desire to take up what Christ has called me to take up. I have been called to take up the cross of self-control. It is heavy at times. It requires self-denial. Only through self-denial can I be humbled enough to take up the cross, that Christ so humbly bared on my behalf, to follow after Him.
2. Mark 10:21 - The physical cross that Christ carried resembles the cross we must now carry. The difference: Christ was alone...all alone. Christ helps us. So much is said in one word, "COME." We are not alone. He is with us.
3. Mark 15:21 - Simon was a nobody, a passerby, but yet he was used to carry the cross for a short period of time for Christ. In the same way, God sends people in our path to help us through the roughest moments. Ultimately though, it was Christ's cross to carry just as we make decisions for ourselves. 
4. Mark 15:30-32 - The chief priests and scribes had no clue how right their statements were in a spiritual sense. Christ did save others. He did not need saving. He was perfect in every sense. He is the only human in history and on this earth currently that did not and does not need saving. They wanted a physical sign, not faith.

Lord, as Aaron and I begin this process of training Titus give us patience. No matter how many times he pees on the floor, no matter how many times we wipe up his accidents, help me to remember they are accidents. I know Titus has a strong will in this area. Give me wisdom. Give Titus desire to want this for himself. Amen.