The Cross

I just wrote a short little paper on The Cross and I thought I'd share. It's something I've posted about on here before, but I've added some thoughts to it.

Isaiah 53 hits me really hard every time I read it. I changed the we’s to I’s and it really put it into perspective for me. Here are a couple of the verses.

“He was despised and rejected—a man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief. I turned my back on him and looked the other way. He was despised, and I did not care. Yet it was my weaknesses he carried;
it was my sorrows that weighed him down. But he was pierced for my rebellion,
crushed for my sins.
He was beaten so I could be whole.
He was whipped so I could be healed. I, like a sheep, have strayed away.
I have left God’s paths to follow my own.
Yet the Lord laid on him
the sins of us all. Unjustly condemned, he was led away. When he sees all that is accomplished by his anguish, he will be satisfied. And because of his experience, my righteous servant will make it possible for many to be counted righteous, for he will bear all their sins.”

Christ loves me so much that He went through all of this just for me. Yes, His death was horrible and beyond anything I can even fathom. But I often forget, he endured pain his entire life. It wasn't just one day. It was an entire lifetime. I go through small trials and get down. I get sick for a few months and think my life is ending. I have had times when I thought God didn't like me because someone gave me a terrible terrible haircut and I got my eyebrow skin waxed off in the same month. Or He must not like me because I have to live in a cute little house alone for an entire... summer. But, I mean, really?? God's own perfect Son went through these same things. Well He didn't have to get his eyebrows waxed every single month. But, His trials were much worse, to say the least.

Why in the world should I think that I wouldn't go through any trials if Christ, God's own son, the only perfect being to ever live, suffered more than I can imagine? Like, if I think that little bit of wax ripping off my skin is painful, how much worse would a big leather strip with sharp objects in it ripping off my back be? And that wouldn't even be for my benefit (thinner eyebrows). 

So many times, I look at things totally wrong. I know I don't understand what is going on-- what God’s plan is. He's teaching me to just trust Him. But it's so hard. It's so hard to see the big picture when I'm focusing on myself and my happiness. Then I realize--the thing that's wrong with all of my thinking is the I's. It's not about me. It's about Christ... and then me after Him. He has it all under control. He knows what He's doing in order to advance His Kingdom. I just have to trust Him. I can't worry about it simply because I can do nothing to help the situation. Bad things happen, but Christ went through much worse and He is there for me to rely on and for me to talk to about it. I know what I am striving for, and Christ will get me there in His perfect timing.

Verse 11 of that passage says, “When he sees all that is accomplished by his anguish, he will be satisfied. And because of his experience, my righteous servant will make it possible for many to be counted righteous, for he will bear all their sins.” What an awesome gift I have been given! I am counted righteous (that's a big deal!) because of Christ’s anguish and suffering on the Cross.

My prayer as I think about the Cross is that I wouldn’t forget this gift and how much it means to me. I am nothing of worth without the Cross. I hope that I will remember why I’m here—my life is not for me or my reputation or my enjoyment, but for Him and His glory.  I am overwhelmed by my Savior’s love for me. I almost can’t believe how much He suffered for me only because He loves me. I pray that I will be moved by His love each and every day to advance His kingdom.