Lay My Shovel Down

Matthew 16:24-27 English Standard Version (ESV)

Take Up Your Cross and Follow Jesus

24 Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 25 For whoever would save his life[a] will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. 26 For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul? 27 For the Son of Man is going to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay each person according to what he has done.

Psalm 55:22 New International Version (NIV)

22 Cast your cares on the Lord

    and he will sustain you;

he will never let

    the righteous be shaken.

People like me always keep a shovel handy to dig back up what was buried at the cross.  It's amazing how fond I can be of pet sins and worries.  So I dig them up and assure myself that, yes, they're still there.  It can make it hard to sing the hymn, "I Surrender All," with complete sincerity of heart.  It's so foolish of me to fight for what's not good for me, like a rebellious little child who doesn't believe the wonders her Father has for her.  I am reminded of the song by the late Rich Mullins, "Hold Me Jesus."  There is hope yet for all of us to lay down our shovels and take up our crosses.

Rich Mullins - Hold me Jesus

"Well sometimes my life just don't make sense at all

When the mountains look so big

And my faith just seems so small

So hold me Jesus 'cause I'm shaking like a leaf

You have been King of my glory

Won't You be my Prince of Peace

And I wake up in the night and feel the dark

It's so hot inside my soul

I swear there must be blisters on my heart

So hold me Jesus 'cause I'm shaking like a leaf

You have been King of my glory

Won't You be my Prince of Peace

Surrender don't come natural to me

I'd rather fight You for something I don't really want

Than to take what You give that I need

And I've beat my head against so many walls

Now I'm falling down I'm falling on my knees

And this Salvation Army band is playing this hymn

And Your grace rings out so deep

It makes my resistance seem so thin

I'm singing hold me Jesus 'cause I'm shaking like a leaf

You have been King of my glory

Won't You be my Prince of Peace

You have been King of my glory

Won't You be my Prince of Peace "