“Carry Your Cross And Follow Me!”

“Carry Your Cross And Follow Me!”(Mt.16:24-28).
I mentioned this before that at the Handicraft center (hereafter Prescraft) in Bali there is a cemetery for missionaries. Talking about Prescraft, the Rev Hans Knòpfli who founded the Prescraft center, Bali passed away on January 30th, 2023 in his homeland, Switzerland. May his soul rest in peace.
The place known as Handicraft center was originally a Mission station. That explains why that graveyard is there where missionaries were buried.
It should be recalled that when the first Basel missionaries arrived Cameroon one of them died. Their leader wrote in a letter that “this is how the Lord welcomed us.” The graves of missionaries are scattered across the African continent.
Seven out of the first eight missionaries to Ghana died of malaria. It was so scsry that the mission field there was called “dead chantier.” The one who survived was thanks to a Ghanaian herbalist who treated him.
Tertullian, a 2nd century ecclesiastical writet wrote that “the blood of the matyrs is the seed of the Church.” What he implied was that martyrs were willing to sacrifice their lives, leading to the conversion of others.
Africa has had her own fair share of martyrs, notably the about 45 Ugandan Martyrs who were ruthlessly killed on the orders of Mwanga II, the Kabaka of Buganda.
During the war years when the missionaries were interned, the Rev Ekesse was the lone pastor who travelled all of South West, North West and West regions to administer the sacraments.
In fact, Church history is replete with those who sacrificed their lives for the sake of Christ. These people gave their lives, some in far off lands because they heeded the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ, “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me…”
Self-denial is what the Lord expects of us. It is not as if Christ does not want our comfort. But we must be conscious of the fact that life in Christ is not necessarily a comfortable one.
We must be ready to break the eggs if we want to eat omelette. Discipleship is about opportunity cost.
Jesus had just predicted his death and Peter called him aside and rebuked him. Jesus told him, “Get behind me Satan!…” And thereon he started to lecture them on the cost of discipleship.
Sometimes it is necessary to keep aside the “Food gospel” or prosperity gospel and talk about the toil and pain that Christians should experience on the path of discipleship.
We are going to enjoy the parousia when Christ comes in his glory only if in the now, we give our utmost for his highest! We carry our cross and follow Christ when we arrive at that point when as an individual you feel it that “Lord, I am not my own but yours!
Prayer: Holy Spirit lead me on the path of sacrifice for the sake of the gospel. Amen!
Have a blessed day! Peace be with you!
Rev Babila Fochang.