Crossing Over

Matthew 16:24-26 (NIV)
²⁴ Then Jesus said to his disciples, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.
²⁵ For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it.
²⁶ What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?

No longer bound for death, we still age and physically die.  Taking up our cross means that we obey God and follow His will.  Jesus did that and we are to walk, or live, as He did.  Jesus lived for God and for others.  He learned obedience and grew in the Spirit while He was on this earth.  We follow in that path.  The cross led to resurrection.  He denied Himself and willingly followed the will of God.  Our cross will likewise lead to resurrection. We will be raised like Him, with new bodies and new life.  

Everyone loses their life here in this fallen creation.  That is a given.  But Jesus tells us that if we lose our life for Him we will find it.  If we do that, eternal life is a given.  Death becomes just a passing into a most glorious life.  Our cross is finding the way and living here on earth for our Father.  

Jesus saw the glory that awaited Him on the other side of the cross.  The cross was necessary for Him to cross over to be with the Father.  In doing so, He opened the way for us to follow.  We must do the same.  His cross allows us come into the presence of God as brothers and sisters of Christ.  Our cross allows us to follow.  As Israel did long ago, crossing the Jordan River into the promised land, we enter the kingdom of God.  There is but one way to cross.