We are coming into the time of year where we consider again the death and resurrection of Jesus. One day I sat and focused on the cross we have in the middle of our church. I pondered what the cross really means to me as a follower of the One who died on it?
It means that I center my life on Jesus and the lifestyle of the cross.
I pictured myself standing beneath his Cross with the crowd of people who were there. I see the blood dripping from his wrists, his brow and his feet. Because I have drawn near the Cross this blood falls upon me. It washed over my head and body. It penetrates deep into me and flows over my mind, my heart and my spirit.
His blood cleanses me from all sin. My mind is cleansed. My heart is cleansed. My spirit is cleansed. This cleansing reveals the deep desires of my self that are still crammed into my life. The desires of the flesh infect me and call out to me. The power of his blood can cleanse me of my self and sever its power over me.
Then I reflected on the fact that I am called to take up my Cross. The Cross has a way of putting his life into my perspective. What does it mean to me to live the cross lifestyle of Jesus?
The Cross means that I submit to God and not me (Jesus prayed: “Let this cup pass from me, but not my will but Yours be done.”).
The Cross means that I trust totally IN God – not in me.
The Cross means that the past, present and future are placed within God’s hands.
The Cross means humiliation – Jesus was stripped naked.
The Cross means that I give up all I have – they took away Jesus’ clothes.
The Cross means my wrists and feet are pinned to the Cross by nails – I am going nowhere.
The Cross means I bleed for others – I give my life to God for Him to use to grow His Kingdom.
The Cross means that I forgive.
The Cross means everything of my life is placed in God’s hands
The Cross brings death and the Cross brings life – There is a resurrection!
The power for victory in our lives lies not in us, it lies in Jesus. We must be willing and place ourselves under the power of his blood as it flows from his Cross. When this happens, the power of the world, the flesh and the devil is broken. We begin to walk in the freedom and the victory that Jesus gives.
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