Day 4: Simon of Cyrene
Devotional by Alex Jones
Read Luke 23:26
Luke 23:26
“And as they led him away, they seized one Simon of Cyrene, who was coming in from the country, and laid on him the cross, to carry it behind Jesus.”
Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. The ESV text may not be quoted in any publication made available to the public by a Creative Commons license. The ESV may not be translated in whole or in part into any other language.
Devotional
Life is full of interruptions. On a daily basis, we face decisions, situations, and circumstances that we don’t expect. We can all relate to feeling flustered or thrown off when our life doesn’t happen according to plan. As Christians, we are reminded throughout Scripture that we are not in control—we may plan our way, but God establishes our steps. Although the Bible is clear that we should expect the unexpected, we still sometimes find ourselves reluctant to the ways of God. We so often forget that our all-powerful God is on the throne intentionally directing our path. God can use even the seemingly mundane to change our lives. This was just the case for a man named Simon from Cyrene.
On his journey to Jerusalem for Passover, Simon was interrupted by Roman soldiers who seized him and commanded him to carry the cross of Jesus. This abrupt burden placed on Simon was surely frustrating and inconvenient but ultimately led to an intimate encounter with Jesus. As Simon picked up the blood-stained cross, he experienced the presence of the Son of God. He heard the words of Jesus as he spoke truth to the crowd who followed him. He experienced Jesus’ humility as Jesus surrendered Himself to God’s will. Most importantly, we are told that Simon followed behind Jesus. Simon was the first to live out the calling to “take up his cross” and follow Jesus (Matthew 16:24-26). Simon walked away from his encounter with Jesus knowing Him more deeply and following Him more closely.
Simon’s encounter led to deeper intimacy with his Creator. In the same way, when we are faced with unexpected interruptions, we may also be just one moment away from knowing God more deeply. His ways are not our ways as He is intentionally working through every area of our lives. The same God who ordained Simon’s steps continues to go before each of us. No matter the difficulty or burden placed on us, Jesus promises that His yoke is easy and His burden is light. So, in the midst of your next frustrating interruption, seek to understand how God may be at work in you. We may not be able to control our circumstances, but we can control our response.
Questions
1. When you feel interrupted or inconvenienced, what is your natural response? What steps can you take to trust God in those moments?
2. How are you following Jesus daily?
3. What areas of your life hinder you from following him fully?
Pray This
Lord, I pray that my encounters with You would lead to a more intimate and personal relationship with You. Help me to seek You regardless of my burdens. As I deny myself and follow You, I will trust and believe that Your way is better. May I draw near to You as You draw near to me. Lead me to look more like You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Jesus help me to see you quickly in my difficult times. I know your way is better.
Dear Father God,
Thank you so much for the person Simon and his experience with Jesus directly! Please make me mindful of that and what lesson of life and love this brings. Keep me permanently focused upon you. Your life servant,
Kelly
Amen
Your Son was obedient even unto death on the cross.
Father, draw each of us closer to You. May we not shake our fists and cry out NO.
Rather, may we say, ‘Yes, LORD. Yes.’
Lord please bring me closer to you. I want to be more like Simon. I want to follow you as a child of God. Thank you for being my Lord and Savior.🙌🏻🙏🏻✝💜
Thank You Jesus for making a way as I take up my cross daily help me to bring every thought and desire that isn’t pleasing to you into captivity that I may follow you and draw nearer to you in a deeper and more meaningful relationship.
Thank you for this sweet prayer, which calls attention to my weakness–“taking every thought captive.” I join you in praying that we will grow as we give more attention to keeping our thoughts and our focus on our precious Lord and Savior and the plans He has for us.
Lord Jesus thank You for the privilege to Carry Your cross daily and serve You! Thank You for your sacrifice on the Cris’s that purchased my salvation from sin. I’m forever grateful for Your love and redemption!
I know I don’t handle interruptions, or changes will. I pray that God can help me navigate life better
I have to remind myself that a sovereign God allows these things to come into my life. So instead of becoming frustrated or angry, I try to ask myself why is this in my life…not in a “why me” sort of way, but more like what is God trying to teach me. Through these interruptions, I can grow closer to Him and trust what He is doing, even if I don’t fully understand. It’s okay, because God is faithful and loving!
Dear Lord,
Help me to be aware that nothing happens in my life that takes you by surprise. Help me to daily, even minute by minute, submit my will to you. I pray that I will continually draw closer to you and know you have a greater plan, even in life’s interruptions and annoyances. Lord, thank you for your sacrifice so that I may have eternal life with you.
Amen!
Lord God, please help me to recognize the “interruptions” that You allow in my day/life as opportunities to allow Your light to shine through me.
Forgive me Father for being selfish and distracted. Today I commit to being more aware when you are at work around me. You are not interrupting me, but inviting me to join you! Help me Lord to let you lead, and joyfully follow in your footsteps, in Jesus’ name.
What an honor God gave Simon for all eternity.
Anticipating interruptions in my daily walk….looking to see how God can use them!
What a blessing to find Jesus in the midst of a distraction. I pray that I see Jesus in the midst of interruptions or when I have been inconvenienced. Lord help my response to the frustrations that come my way always bring honor and glory to Your name.
This one statement is such an encouragement to me today, as I am in an inconvenient and unexpected situation:
“This abrupt burden placed on Simon was surely frustrating and inconvenient but ultimately led to an intimate encounter with Jesus.”
Thank you for faithfully sharing with the Lord, put on your heart regarding this part of Christ’s walk to the cross.
Lo rd thank you for Life lessons You teach me when my life is interrupted and my course takes a detour. Help me to remember that You Jesus are walking right beside me every step of the way. And thank you that my sister taught me how to live one day at a time when we are carrying the cross. May I be worthy. In Jesus Name Amen.
Lord,
Thank you for placing this in front of me today as you know this was the exact reminder I needed this week. Although my future may be unknown to me, I know that you have a plan and that I can trust in you. I know you will carry me through and I ask that you allow me to grow closer to you in this time.
“Inconvenience & Interruptions” are two words found in the definition of Motherhood. Grateful for the opportunity to “take up the cross” and follow Jesus as I come alongside, go before, and even come up after my kiddos. My attitude, words, and body language impacts their minds and hearts as they’re my eye-witnesses.
Just this morning my plans were interrupted and my first response was disappointment and hurt. God allowed me a few minutes and then reminded me that HE was still in control. I immediately said out loud I TRUST YOU LORD!! I need YOUR PEACE🙏🏾
Father, I thank you for this devotional today that is opening my spiritual eyes to how interruptions in our life can lead to more intimate relationship with you. I pray for Your wisdom to see and understand these interruptions and commas on my life path. I pray for Your spirit of discernment to be able to interpret them right so that I can see You, so that I can know You are in it, so that I can grow from it, and so that I can be a part of Your great work. My constant need and desire Lord is to be where You are. I love you Lord. Thank You for loving me first 🙏. In Jesus name I pray.
My life has been inconvenienced for the last two wks. but GOD brought to my memory the fruit of the Spirit which I leaned on the patience & the self-control that HE blessed me with. GOD is so loving, caring, faithful & is happy when I turn to HIM for safety & security & for answers. I thank GOD that I’m always on HIS mind. Looking forward to Resurrection Sunday & praising GOD for JESUS; because of the Cross I can know that my failures are not fatal & my death is not final. I agree w/ Kelly when he said that he was GOD’s life servant.
Always;
Carol
I had a very difficult moment in my life and I cried out to Jesus and he came and rescued me. I have never been the same since. I love him more, I praise him more and I will follow Him for the rest of my life. I now trust and obey.
Thank you for this message and to all of our brothers and sisters in God’s family–our family–who have offered their thoughts and comments of affirmation, edifying each other. Thank you Lord!
It was refreshing to my soul when God interrupted me with His love, guiding me to new routes and challenges to follow Him in obedience, reminding me that I can’t do anything without Him.
Father I am nothing without your love and patience in my life. Help me to listen when you call on me be a patient encourager for my sister.
Leora Bean
“…when we are faced with unexpected interruptions, we may also be just one moment away from knowing God more deeply.” Couldn’t have said that better Alex! Amazing word and incredible perspective!
Oh how I long to know God more intimately. I pray this often. No wonder I seem to find myself faced with interruptions. God is just answering my prayers and longing for me to draw closer to Him. Thank you for helping me to see this and recognize life’s interruptions as God moments. Lord, please help me not to forget that these interruptions provide me the opportunity to an intimate encounter with You.
Lord, might it be possible that interruptions in my schedule are sometimes just your way of trying to get my attention and our attention?