Mr Lucado ends this section he calls “God pondering” with the liberating fact that God loves us, and that this Love is immeasurable. Listen to his words: “Whip-ripped muscles drape his back. Blood rivulets over his face. His eyes and lips are swollen shut. Pain rages at wildfire intensity. As he sinks to relieve the agony of his legs, his airway closes. At the edge of suffocation, he shoves pierced muscles against the spike and inches up the cross. He does this for hours. Painfully up and down until his strength and our doubts are gone. Does God love you? Behold the cross, and behold your answer.” (p71) My Friends, if you still wonder if God cares about you, specifically YOU, please know we do not need any greater proof than The Cross. As the saying goes, it was not nails that kept our Savior up on the Cross, it was His Love. Love for the Father and love for you and me, those He created and desires to spend eternity with. The Cross is all we need to know God says we are beloved, worthy and precious in His sight.
And still we are children, right? There have been times when I am having a meltdown because something I have been praying for has not yet been answered. In my childish immaturity, I will pray, “Lord, show me You love me.” Every time, God stops me in my tracks by pointing my heart to The Cross. All my complaining comes to a halt. All my selfishness is humbled. All my insecurities vanish. The Cross is the ultimate sign of God’s Love. For God so loved the world…yet, I think we forget HOW He gave us His one and only Begotten Son! He gave us Jesus as the Lamb of God Who would take away the sin of the world He so loves. (see Jn 1:29 & Jn 3:16) No guilt here. Remember Romans 8:1. But it is good for us to spend some time, perhaps even daily, to behold The Cross with Jesus still hanging upon it, giving Himself up for us. Yes, praise God He is no longer there and that tomb is empty! Hallelujah! But the moment we forget He had to travel that road for us, is the moment we forget “how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ” for us. (Eph 3:18) Let’s spend some time today beholding The Cross.
2023’s Got A Minute? Book Club
January: The First & Best Book Ever: The Bible
February: Love Is In the Air: “The 5 Love Languages: The Secret to Love That Lasts” by Gary Chapman
March: Spring Growth: “Secrets of the Vine” by Bruce Wilkinson
April: Living the Resurrected Life: “The Wonderful Spirit Filled Life” by Dr Charles Stanley
May: My Spiritual Mom: “Making Good Habits Breaking Bad Habits” by Joyce Meyer
June: Spiritual Dad: “It’s Not About Me- Rescue from the Life We Thought Would Make Us Happy” by Max Lucado
<>< Peace, Diane
