The Way of the Cross - Dying Daily

Verse From The Lord Will Provide

No strength of our own or goodness we claim
Yet since we have known the saviors great name
In this our strong tower for safety we hide
The Lord is our power, the Lord will provide

When life sinks apace and death is in view
This word of his grace shall comfort us through
No fearing or doubting with Christ on our side
We hope to die shouting the Lord will provide


When I first heard the last line of 'The Lord Will Provide' I thought of Christians dying because of martyrdom or sickness. As I have listened to the song a few more times (I highly recommend it - Matthew Smith - All I Owe available at www.igracemusic.com) I started to think about the believer's call to take up their cross, deny self, and suffer for the kingdom.

I think it would be most Christian's hope to die shouting, "The Lord will provide," but I think sometimes I miss the point. The shout shouldn't be saved for the deathbed or lion's mouth.

Tonight my lovely wife who is nine months pregnant and not feeling great is going to need some extra help around the house. I am going to be tired from a week of elementary school kids, high school basketball players, and the rest of life's little surprises. When she needs me to help with something she needs instead of something I want I will have an opportunity to die shouting, "the Lord will provide."

Monday, Rebecca and I will have our second son (Lord willing). There will be late night feedings, early morning feedings, late night diapers, early morning diapers, and plenty of other opportunities to die shouting, "the Lord will provide."

There are countless opportunities every day to die to self knowing God will provide.

John 12:24

I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.

What will the Lord provide when we die to ourselves? Resurrection life. Jesus' death on the cross was not the end of the story. Three days later he rose, declaring the surety of our salvation. As we commit ourselves to the way of the cross we can be assured of Holy Spirit empowering, resurrection life. A life of little deaths will result in one of great resurrection life. Little seeds of service going into the ground and dying will produce the fruit of the Spirit.

This is a great hymn about the Christian life.

Jesus, I My Cross Have Taken by Henry Lyte

Jesus, I my cross have taken,
All to leave and follow Thee.
Destitute, despised, forsaken,
Thou from hence my all shall be.
Perish every fond ambition,
All I’ve sought or hoped or known.
Yet how rich is my condition!
God and heaven are still my own.

Let the world despise and leave me,
They have left my Savior, too.
Human hearts and looks deceive me;
Thou art not, like them, untrue.
O while Thou dost smile upon me,
God of wisdom, love, and might,
Foes may hate and friends disown me,
Show Thy face and all is bright.

Go, then, earthly fame and treasure,
Come disaster, scorn and pain
In Thy service, pain is pleasure,
With Thy favor, loss is gain
I have called Thee Abba Father,
I have stayed my heart on Thee
Storms may howl, and clouds may gather;
All must work for good to me.

Soul, then know thy full salvation
Rise o’er sin and fear and care
Joy to find in every station,
Something still to do or bear.
Think what Spirit dwells within thee,
Think what Father’s smiles are thine,
Think that Jesus died to win thee,
Child of heaven, canst thou repine.

Haste thee on from grace to glory,
Armed by faith, and winged by prayer.
Heaven’s eternal days before thee,
God’s own hand shall guide us there.
Soon shall close thy earthly mission,
Soon shall pass thy pilgrim days,
Hope shall change to glad fruition,
Faith to sight, and prayer to praise.