Clinging to the Cross

Let me say first and foremost that I have the utmost respect for that cross.  That said, are we still clinging to it? I know we should hang on to the image of His sacrifice. It should never be far from our thoughts, but if we are clinging to it out of fear or condemnation, if we are expecting God’s wrath to fall on us, we’re looking at the cross the wrong way.

Read Isaiah 53, and you will see the accomplishments of Jesus.  The brutal way He gave His life, He purchased salvation, healing and so much more.  Abraham saw a vision of the cross, other prophesied it, it is in Psalm 22 and throughout the Bible if you look.

When Isaiah says, ” by His stripes ” we are healed, it is looking ahead and Peter is looking back, ” by His striped we were healed. ” 1 Peter 2:24 God sees the finished work of His Son, He knows we sin, He knows our hearts.  The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of truth.  He knows when we are doing our best to please Him or when we are putting up a front or more interested in socializing.

Jesus stays on the cross, when we limit Him in our lives, but He is at the right hand of His Father watching over us and seeing what we do and hearing what we say. Does it line with what He says about us? Do we cling to the old rugged cross and exchange it someday for a crown? Or do we cling to that which accomplished and do the works He prepared for us? We cannot win salvation with works.

It’s a gift. It’s a present!  It is the most expensive gift you’ll ever receive, because it cost Jesus everything, the peace of heaven, the love of His Father, sweat that was as great drops of blood, lashes that cut to the bone, crucifixion, suffocation, darkness.

It was the most precious gift wrapped in swaddling clothes and grave linen and now robed in His righteous glory, just lie He wants us to be. Open that gift, say thank you, Jesus, let Him cover you, put on your garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness. Let go of the old rugged cross, He’s fashioning your crown. Rebecca Jones