Friday, April 2, 2010

Cross My Heart

We see them throughout the world. We make them of gold and jewels and drape them around our necks. We carve them of exotic wood and adorn church buildings with them. We fashion them of different sizes and shapes of stained glass, pieced together to form exquisite works of art that fly our souls heavenward.


But the cross was not designed to sparkle on throats or beautify a place of worship. Invented before the 4th century B.C. by the Persians, its purpose was as an instrument of slow, torturous execution. By the time of Jesus, the Romans had begun using this way of hanging their worst criminals. Making it a public spectacle served as added humiliation. Anyone could walk by a murderer or thief as they hung on the rough-hewn boards and spit on them or cast abuse up at them.

Thus hung Jesus, naked before the world, nailed between two real criminals while the world gaped, supposing Him a fool. After all, He’d raised three people from the dead, multiplied food for thousands, and healed multitudes. Why was He submitting to this mockery and abuse, like a stupid lamb? They railed at Him, “You saved others; but you can’t even save yourself!” Why did He not use His power to subdue the Roman guards and come down from that cross, if He truly was the Son of God?


The answer to this question, my friend, is why we call the Friday before Easter “Good Friday.” The goodness in His heart compelled Him to hang in our place, so you and I could have a relationship with the God of the Universe.

Don’t believe for a second that if Jesus had wanted to, He could not have freed Himself and jumped down. He told the crowd, “Don’t you know that I could at this very moment call ten legions of angels to come and rescue me?” Yet He remained to the end, although it meant God turning His face from Him. Not because He was a fool. No. Because He loved us too much to let us die in our sins and spend forever in Hell.

No one kept Jesus on the cross but Jesus.

Next time you put your favorite crucifix around your neck or gaze upon the loveliness of a stained glass cross, remember how it came to mean a sweet symbol of love and beauty, rather than an instrument of death. Remember that Jesus went there of His own free will, to give you a future and a hope.

And, if you’ve made Him the Lord of your life, you’ll hear Him say one day very soon, “Well done, good and faithful servant. Enter into my joy” as He welcomes you to Heaven. Cross my heart.

24 comments:

  1. Great post, Jeanette. I have a collection of cross, some from across the world, each meaningful to me. I confess, that when I look at them, I don't always remember the sacrifice Jesus made in a way that I should. I don't know if it is because I have so many or if I would be lax with even just one.

    Thanks for the reminder, friend.

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  2. Oh, Jeanette, what a beautiful post! Every year at this time my heart is overwhelmed with all He has done for me. Thanks for writing so eloquently what my heart can barely contain!

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  3. Amen,Jeanette! I forget sometimes too, the power of the cross. Have a lovely weekend and thank you for the beautiful post. :-)

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  4. EASTER GREETINGS FROM THE OLD GEEZER

    I PRAY YOU AND YOUR FAMILY WILL HAVE A WONDERFUL DAY CELEBRATING RESURRECTION SUNDAY.

    HE IS RISEN!

    GOD BLESS YOU, RON

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  5. Wonderful!! Praying your Easter is a blessing for you and those around you.

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  6. Thanks be to God for the sacrifice...for the love--that kind of love I have trouble wrapping my mind around.

    ~ Wendy

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  7. oh I wait for that day and hope He'll say those words to me. Isn't this time of year wonderful?

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  8. Amen!

    And I love your new blog look.

    Blessings to you this Friday and Sunday!
    Katie

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  9. Amen!

    And I love your new blog look.

    Blessings to you this Friday and Sunday!
    Katie

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  10. This was beautiful, friend! Thank you!

    Have a wonderful Easter!

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  11. Oh, how you touched my heart on Good Friday.
    Thank you, Jeanette.
    P

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  12. "Cross my heart" love that Jeanette!

    Thanks for speaking to my heart this morning.

    Greater love than this hath no man, except he lay down his life for his friend. Thank you Jesus!

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  13. Thank you for the meaningful post. He did it all for me. He is just so wonderful. Have a Happy Easter.

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  14. Hi Jen -

    Our salvation had a high price tag. I'm thankful Jesus was willing to pay for my sins.

    Blessings,
    Susan

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  15. Thank you for this! I think we could all use a reminder that Good Friday is more than the Friday before bunny day!

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  16. So beautifully said and such a wonderful reminder. I was actually wondering this morning about why today is called Good Friday. Thank you for your lovely and inspiring words.

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  17. Happy Easter, Jeanette. I wait with anticipation for Sunday when we can proclaim that He is risen indeed!

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  18. Poignant and powerful, Jeanette. Thank you!

    Carol

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  19. Jen:
    Thank you for your timely post. It humbles me to think that Jesus did that for me.

    Happy Easter.

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  20. Yes! Wonderful reminder. :)

    Have a blessed Easter!

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  21. I remember when I was a teenager I was reading a book about a young girl who happen to be Jewish. She was looking at someone who was wearing a cross and said how can they were something that is what they say their God was killed with. Like it was a murder weapon. I remember being puzzled by her comments. Now I wear an empty cross to remind others of Jesus and declare my faith in him.

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  22. YES indeed the greatest story and most wonderful gift ever given.

    Cheri

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  23. I read Judith Couchman's The Mystery of the Cross which was a wonderful book and deepened my appreciation of not only the symbol of the cross, but Christ's work on the cross.

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