(C) Cheryl Howard 2008

Vulnerable HE hung on a cross on a cursed hill,

Battered and bruised and bearing all our ills.

A sight too achingly common, yet unspeakably rare,

Unrecognized, DEITY, for all humanity hung there.

 

 

Shame inexplicable, degradation beyond compare,

The single motive – Love, for lost sinners did HE bear.

To the ends of creation HE willingly did go,

To give us life in HIS death – HIMSELF did HE sow.

 

 

A rescue unparalleled, breathtaking and ambitious,

Only GOD could conceive, so costly and audacious.

HIS own life did surrender, yielded up for all,

Hear HIS longing resonate, crying, “Respond to MY call!”

 

 

You were there in HIS heart, HIS yearning, HIS thoughts,

It was in spilling HIS blood your salvation HE bought.

To HIM you were worth every agony HE had to endure,

And you’re yet in HIS heart - let HIM your rescue secure!

 

 

 

thought for the journey …

 

1 Corinthians 2:2 “For I determined not to know anything among you, except JESUS CHRIST and HIM crucified!”

 

The Cross of Calvary - how familiar many of us are with this object of suffering, sacrifice, substitution and death; and how often we’ve heard its message of resurrection Life and of victory!

Yet …. how well do we really know The Cross? Is it reality in our lives, do we live daily under its shadow, do we grasp its reach of grace, do we fathom its bloody price? Do you see The Cross as a “symbol” or do you know it in its power? The power of GOD ALMIGHTY to justify us, to conquer, atone and defeat our sin! Do you recognise and truly know THE CHRIST Who hung upon its crude beams, giving up HIS sinless Life in substitute for ours - so hating our sin, yet so loving us lost sinners that HE was willing to take our judgment and punishment?

How intimate are we with the power of HIS resurrection life coursing through our veins? Have we “died” with HIM, and are we now “living” in HIM?

We are called to a life that echoes the truth of Galatians 2:20 “I have been crucified with CHRIST; it is no longer I who live, but CHRIST lives in me …..”

  

1 Corinthians 1:23-24 “but we preach CHRIST crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block (offense) and to the Greeks foolishness, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, CHRIST the power of GOD and the wisdom of GOD!”

Romans 5:6-10 “For when we were still without strength, in due time CHRIST died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. But GOD demonstrates HIS own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, CHRIST died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by HIS blood, we shall be saved from wrath through HIM. For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to GOD through the death of HIS SON, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by HIS life!”

1 Corinthians 15:16-17 “For if the dead do not rise, then CHRIST is not risen. And if CHRIST is not risen then your faith is futile; you are still in your sins!”

Hallelujah we belong to, and serve, a Risen CHRIST - HE conquered sin and death - so let’s live in that “blood washed” and “blood bought” knowledge!