The Statement of the Cross

My mom was a painter and particularly enjoyed painting on china. In my cupboard is a collection of delicate teacups and plates painted in beautiful pastel colors with great attention to detail. They are a treasure.

Recently, while searching in my jewelry case for earrings, I came upon a small ceramic cross, its sides gilded with gold and adorned with exquisite tiny blue flowers and pale green leaves resting on a gently curving tendril. Turning it over, I discovered my mom’s signature carefully penned in gold script. For a moment, my heart caught in my throat at the memory of the beautiful lady who created this tiny masterpiece.

The significance of the cross as an expression of my belief and hope in Jesus is special too. In a world where some refuse to acknowledge the cross, even on Easter, I am grateful for those who boldly declare the message it proclaims.

I’ve been told the cross keeps people from church. “You’re worshipping a symbol,” declare others. One pastor even asked, “What’s the big deal about the cross?” This resistance to the cross caused me to re-examine my beliefs. Why do I believe the cross is so important? To answer this question, I read the Bible, I sought the counsel of other believers, and I prayed, asking the Holy Spirit to reveal the truth.

I came to understand that the cross is a statement. It’s a statement to the character of God and His love for us that He allowed Jesus, His only Son, to suffer an agonizing death on the cross. The cross Jesus carried and died on wasn’t pretty. It wasn’t gilded with gold, rather, it was stained with the blood of my Lord as He bore the sins of all mankind. There were no delicate flowers adorning it, instead my Savior wore a crown of thorns. His love for me was written in red with the blood that poured from His body. He died and His body was placed in a tomb. But that’s not the end. On the third day, the tomb burst open at the resurrection of Jesus. He’s alive. Jesus defeated death and I am free from the penalty and power of sin. My heart catches in my throat at God’s overwhelming love for me.

The message of the cross is foolish to those who are headed for destruction! But we who are being saved know it is the very power of God.

1 Corinthians 1:18 (nLT)