Take Up Your Cross

In Luke 9:23 Jesus instructs His disciples to "take up their cross," these words by the nineteenth century minister and hymn writer Walter Chalmers Smith capture well that command. 

But all through life I see a cross
Where sons of God yield up their breath;
There is no gain except by loss,
There is no life except by death,
And no full vision but by faith,
Nor glory, but by bearing shame,
Nor justice, but by taking blame;
And that Eternal Passion saith:
Be emptied of glory, right and name.

Great Leaders?

I've been reading Called To Lead by John MacArthur and I (being the sinner that I am) greatly appreciated this reminder. 

The greatest of all leaders in Scripture were fundamentally flawed.  Abraham gave in to his fears and shamefully lied (Genesis 12:13; 20:2).  Moses freely acknowledged that he was "slow of speech and slow of tongue" (Exodus 4:10).  He also had repeated problems with a fiery temper (Exodus 2:11-12; Numbers 20:11-12).  David committed adultery and murder (2 Samuel 11).  Elijah succumbed to fear and depression (1 Kings 19:3-10).  Isaiah confessed that he had a dirty mouth (Isaiah 6:5).  Jonah tried to flee his prophetic commission because he hated the people to whom God called him to minister (Jonah 4:1-3).  Most of the Twelve whom Christ appointed were crude fishermen.  On the night of Christ's betrayal , they all "forsook Him and fled" (Matthew26:56).  Peter, their leader and spokesman, had repeatedly embarrassed himself by saying and doing impetuous things. Then on that terrible night, he verbally denied Christ with cursing and oaths (Matthew 26:69-74).  Peter himself confessed that he was a sinful man (Luke 5:8).  The apostle John and his brother, James in the spirit of Jonah, wanted to call down fire from heaven to destroy people whom Christ had come to save (Luke 9:54-56).  James and John (in blatant display of sinful pride) also conspired with their mother to ask Jesus to grant them thrones in the kingdom on Christ's right and left hands (Matthew 20:20-24).  All of these were fragile, imperfect men of clay.