“What does the message of the cross mean to me today?”
The Spirit of God revealed this to me: “He sacrificed for you, what will you sacrifice for Him?”
At that moment, I was reminded that one message of the cross is forgiveness of sins. Christ sacrificed his life so that our sins would be
forgiven. So, the question is: “What sacrifice will we voluntarily make for him?”
Will I give
up my right to be angry and hurt at another person? Will I forgive the very person I believe harmed
me because Christ forgave me? If I call myself able to live by
spiritual principles, I will. You will
too.
We will make
the sacrifice because Christ sacrificed for us.
Christ’s
sacrificial act of laying down his will was quite demeaning. As I listened to the biblical account of
Jesus' journey to the cross, I was reminded that people called him names, threw
objects at him AND spat in his face.
Really? I mean, it is one thing
not to like Jesus, but to spit in his face more than once. That is pure hatred.
And I,
little ol’ me, have the audacity to think that my feelings, my pride, my rights
are more important than Jesus. To think
that my actions reflect a mind that says, “I deserve to be angry at another
child of God.” I actually don’t think
that way, but, if I practice
unforgiveness, then that is exactly what is being said.
Is anyone of us more important than God?
As we enter into spring and celebrate the newness of the
season of life, let us remember to honor the cross too. We can love God’s children with forgiveness
in our hearts, knowing that our actions are pleasing to God.
M
Prayer:
Heavenly Father, thank you for the power of forgiveness. I
no longer want to hold myself hostage, fearing my feelings and holding on to
the hurt. Today I'm going to face my feelings and forgive because I also want
to be forgiven. Give me the courage and strength this day Lord to forgive those
who I felt have hurt me. In Jesus name I pray, Amen.
Prayer written by Belinda Dickson-Brown
