What the Cross of Christ Means to Me...

So, this Lenten season at church we are having a person a week give a little testimony about what the cross means to him/her.....This past Sunday as I was listening to a rather verbose woman speak I began to ponder what the cross meant to me.

The cross of Christ is the epitome of suffering. A man that was perfect and blameless was nailed to a cross and was mocked, scorned, and ridiculed. Just for me and you.

So, to me the cross is a symbol of hope above all else. Sure we think of all the suffering and agony that our perfect Savior went through.....but think of the hope that we have in him!!

This was evident to me firsthand a couple of weekends ago when I went to visit my poppa in the hospital. He has cancer and the tumor that he has causes him terrible pain. It breaks my heart to see him in agony and screaming with pain...but when an old and hurting man pauses from his screaming and is quiet for a few seconds before softly singing that familiar hymn "Oh how I love Jesus, Oh how I love Jesus, Oh how I love Jesus, Because he first loved me..." it is a powerful testament of faith.

I honestly believe that my poppa knows and is humbled by the fact that Jesus understands his pain more than any of us on earth can at all. In that moment the Lord spoke to him and made him at peace during his suffering. What a simply beautiful moment to remember and be thankful that the Almighty God watches over us and protects us. Although we do suffer and life is hard, the cross of Christ is a reminder that Christ suffered to save us from our sins and truly understands our pains and burdens and just asks that we lay everything at his feet. Our decisions, our struggles, our sins, our joys......

Sometimes it is hard for me to give my problems to the Lord, so the cross is a constant reminder of the desire that my sovereign God has for me to hand it all to Him!

There is no one else for me
None but Jesus
Crucified to set me free
Now I live to bring Him praise

In the chaos in confusion
I know You're sovereign still
In the moment of my weakness
You give me grace to do Your will
When You call I won't delay
This my song through all my days
All my delight is in You Lord
All of my hope
All of my strength
Forever more

Sidenote: This probably is a bunch of rambling but I have a million thoughts going through my head!