A Devotion for Passion Week
Mark 15:21
“And they compelled a passerby, Simon of Cyrene, who was coming in from the country, the father of Alexander and Rufus, to carry his cross.”
We don’t know much about Simon of Cyrene from the gospel accounts of Jesus’ crucifixion, but we do know that Simon was visiting Jerusalem, most likely to observe the Passover and Feast of Unleavened Bread. He made a long journey to celebrate this religious holiday full of established traditions and religious practices, but the events quickly become very real and personal for him.
Simon came to Jerusalem to party, but instead met an angry mob out of control! As he passed by, the Roman soldiers grabbed him and forced him to help a beaten and bruised Jesus carry his heavy cross. Perhaps he thought, “What? I’m clean and ready to celebrate! I can’t get dirty and carry this cross through an angry mob who are spitting and throwing stones! What if I get dirty? What if I become unclean and my celebration is interrupted?”
But he had no choice. The soldiers compelled him to help Jesus carry the cross. I imagine splinters pierced his hands. He saw up-close Jesus’ battered and bloodied body. I’m sure he heard Jesus’ groans of anguish as His blood stained Simon’s own hands. He had the blood of the Lamb, not just symbolized on a doorpost, but on his own skin and clothes! How personal can you get?
I wonder if his eyes met the eyes of Jesus. Did he know that Jesus was making this sacrifice for him? Did he know that Jesus loved him and offered him grace and forgiveness?
It doesn’t seem like Simon was given a choice whether to carry Jesus’ cross or not. But we are given this choice every day. Matthew 16:24 says, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.” This is discipleship.
Am I willing to deny myself? To put to death the old self, and put on the new? (Colossians 3:1-17). Am I willing to put to death my own ideas and desires and exchange them for God’s plans for me? This is easy when life is going well, but not so easy when circumstances don’t fit into what we think is best.
As we prepare for Easter, may our hearts be filled with gratitude for His atoning sacrifice. May we be reminded to surrender our wills daily, moment by moment, to humbly surrender and to authentically declare, ‘Not my will, but Thine be done!” Interrupt our plans, Oh Lord, and transform our hearts to daily desire to follow You!
