The Cross and the Tomb

My thoughts go back to years ago when my dad walked in the house and said,"Why do you have so many crosses?" "You shouldn't focus on the death, but the resurrection." My entry way was a cross wall and I loved all the different places represented and the gifts given to me! Most were signed and dated!  I know he meant well, but it made ME question what I really thought. I’ve learned to love examining why I think or believe something.  You see I do celebrate Christ’s resurrection, without it the cross would mean nothing! And I know He is with the Father interceding for me, and because He He is Risen, He sent His comforter in His place!!! And boy in this world of pain and sorrow I need Holy Spirit! I love the songs about death where is your sting and up from the grave He arose; they move me, but for me it's THE CROSS that truly changed my life. I don't know of a time since I was a little girl that I wasn’t moved deeply by the cross and His blood shed. In the same manner, communion never gets old for me. My friend Judy and I started doing communion together years ago and then I started doing it alone at home. It was then that I really began to experience the significance for ME!

THE CROSS....REDEMPTION....HIS GIFT TO ME! His body broken for me was MERCY. I didn’t get what I deserve! His blood shed gives me life, redemption, and makes me righteous! He gave me what I did not deserve; it’s GRACE! I’d be nothing without the cross, I'd be so lost in shame. I'd be the one stoned that Jesus would bend down in the sand and write something until my accusers left. I would stay in bondage to sin, abuse, pain, fear, addictions.....but the cross is my FREEDOM! His blood represents everything I did and will do, and everything done to me. It means I'm covered completely, FORGIVEN! No more SHAME! There is not a single regret or mistake that's too big to be covered at the cross where He shed His blood! He covered it all! Why??? Because He loves us! I was His joy that helped Him endure the horrific and agonizing pain. The JOY!!! His own Father surrendered His son for me. Yeah not so much something I would do to be honest.  I lost my Darren too soon and held tight to the next five! But Father did and Jesus, His only son said Yes. Oh, He could have gotten down from the cross, but no! He did it for me! Again I was the joy! It gets me everytime I take the cup and everytime I see the cross. They aren't just decor for me. They truly are a reminder that I am His joy! And I get to be FREE! In the last seasons another big picture came to me. It was that of surrender, laying my life down, crucifying the flesh, and dying that I might truly live. The only reason we don't crucify our flesh is simply pride to me. Our need to be right?? Control not surrender?(previous blog) What I found out is the greater freedom is going to the cross with Him and laying my life down as He did. I don't have to sacrifice blood, because He took care of that, but I do have a choice to go to the cross and surrender as He so lovingly and graciously did for me. Again the cross represents freedom and redemption! Because when I lay down my life, holding onto nothing...reputation, the need to be right, addictions, blame, control, etc. I truly get to experience the CROSS! I get true FREEDOM! So when Easter and the resurrection are celebrated Im right there rejoicing, but THE CROSS is sometimes where I just need to stay to maintain my freedom. It's where I became a true daughter! It’s where I receive my identity of who I am and Whose I am!

“For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, "This is my body which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me." In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me." For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes.” ‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭11:23-26‬ ‭ESV‬‬