“We fear the cross – because we fear pain, loss, or surrender. “
So much truth here.
In an earlier passage, Armor for the Journey, we thought about how the cross is not just a symbol, it’s power.
In this passage we are again at the cross, but this time we are feeling its symbolic nature.
What it reminds us of…
How it makes us feel…
Why we may shy away from it…
And how it might stir up feelings that we can’t quite identify.
Today’s reading provides a new perspective…
We fear the cross because of what it symbolizes…pain, loss, surrender.
Let’s think about it…We live in a world that makes us believe we can do anything.
We can be anything we want, we can have anything we want, we can act in any way that makes us feel good.
And we can do it all on our own.
Perhaps our prideful behavior is challenged when we see the image of the cross?
Let’s be honest, I don’t know anyone who wants to feel pain, experience loss or relinquish control.
Do you?
It exposes our vulnerabilities and makes us feel small.
But maybe that’s exactly what God wants?
Maybe He wants us to acknowledge our own suffering to bring us closer to Him.
To hand it over to Him.
To rely on Him.
So, I wonder, how much suffering or loss do we have to experience before we turn to Him?
At what point are we willing to let Him in and attempt to learn from whatever may be occurring in our lives?
When do we “let go and let God”?
Here’s a thought…
What if we could we look at the cross as a reminder that our suffering is also felt by Him?
That because of it…we have hope. We have strength. We will endure.
But we do not have to endure it alone.
The passage says “lent is not only about spiritual disciplines – it’s about learning to love when it’s inconvenient, costly or unseen. That’s where Christ meets us”
We can love Christ, and trust Him, even when we don’t understand the “why”.
We can embrace our suffering and trust He will make all things beautiful.
Not beautiful in spite of our suffering…but because of it.
Jesus, help me embrace my cross today. When I’m tempted to despair, give me the grace to trust that You are working all things together for my good and for Your glory. Help me to remember that just as the cross led to resurrection, our pain will lead to new life. Amen.
