The Wonderful Cross

I once heard someone say, "Man... You can't have enough songs about the cross." One of my favorite songs about the cross is Chris Tomlin's "The Wonderful Cross." A part of the chorus is:

O the wonderful cross

O the wonderful cross

Bids me come and die 

and find that I... may truly live!

Listen to it here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=skxiHGj6lIU

When you think about the cross... does it seem wonderful to you? What makes the cross wonderful? It was horrible! It was cruel execution. So why can we say that the cross was beautiful? The cross itself was not beautiful. It was not wonderful. We can say that the cross is beautiful because of what Jesus did for us on the cross! 1 Jn 4:10 teaches us that because God loves us, Jesus died on the cross to pay for our sins. I believe we can sing "O the wonderful cross" because worship begins with the cross. 

When Jesus "breathed his last" on the cross... one of the centurion that had crucified him responded in this way... "And when the centurion, who stood facing him, saw that in this way he breathed his last, he said, 'Truly this man was the Son of God'" (Mk 15:39). 

This centurion responded to the death of Christ with worship! For him... it began at the foot of the cross. He heard the cries of the cross! My favorite way to define true worship is, "Our response to who God is and what God did for us on the cross." Worship is who we are. It is what we do. We are responding. But to who? 

Today is Ash Wednesday. Today begins what most refer to as Lent. It is the season leading up to Easter. I encourage you to observe this time in some way... not because we must but in remembrance of the cross. One way is to read through the gospel accounts in the New Testament. Check out www.biblegateway.com and look for reading plans. They have one for Lent. 

There is nothing more beautiful than the cross of Christ. Jesus said, "Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends" (Jn 15:13). In order to truly live as the song says... we must be "...crucified with Christ" (Gal 2:20). We must remember the cries of the cross! That is the gospel. That is wonderful. That is beautiful. 

Reflect on the cross as we approach Easter. Remember what Christ did for us. Gather with others to worship Him for what He has done. Celebrate His victory and His life! Worship Christ alone! We have reason to sing!!! This is our Lord... and He loves us. 

Blessings