The Old Rugged Cross
In our very first lesson of character building seminar “From Glory to Glory” pastor says:
“We’re going to be spending a lot of time this seminar, taking you to the cross, my dear friends. See, I have the same obsession that the apostle Paul had. I am determined to know nothing among you, save Christ and Him crucified. {1 Cor 2:2} That’s where the transforming power is. It’s beholding the Lamb slain. {Rev 5:6} That’s where the power is. That’s where the heart is captured, and that’s where the will is conquered. See, there are all sorts of things that happen at the cross. The conscience is convicted, the mind is convinced, the heart is captured, the will is conquered, and the life is converted. Please, let me bring you frequently as we study together to the foot of the cross. That’s where it happens, my friends.”
When I spoke with Pastor Steve Wallace, he told us: “Every morning I make my pilgrimage to the foot of the cross…” I asked him, but how do you do it, we are all so prone to make it formal, empty, routine and it won’t be life-changing experience. You can do it one day, but how to make it a living experience each day? He didn’t want to say too much, these are the things only between you and your bleeding Saviour, it’s very personal, very intimate…, he said something like this.
But then trying to help me he shared an insight he received from one of these pilgrimages:
“What is Golgotha? What does that word mean? The skull. What is one of JESUS’ names? The WORD. And what is another name for the WORD? The SWORD!
Hebrews 4:12 For the Word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
What did we do when we nailed JESUS to that old rugged cross? We had to lift Him up (Jn 12:32) and thrust that cross to the ground! Oh, what a pain it caused to our loving Saviour! But what happened at the same time? This cross – this sword pierced the skull! Whose skull? Yes, Satan’s! But is that all, is that enough? Oh, my dear brother, this is mine and your skull as well… Meditate upon it when you wake up tomorrow morning to make YOUR pilgrimage to the foot of the cross…”
Why do I share with you this dialog? I have found it hard to my carnal heart and body to wake up each morning and do MY pilgrimage to the foot of the cross. I don’t wake up each morning and when I do I pray for different things, but have a hard time to meditate afresh about JESUS’ suffering to such a depth that it can make lasting impression upon me – I tend to repeat some phrases and I am disappointed from myself…
TODAY I got an idea: we have so rich, so deep insights about JESUS’ suffering – why don’t you dwell upon them in your morning time under the cross? And why don’t you share these insights with those who will come to this character building web site? YES, LORD – let me start working on it right away!
Here is the fruit of my listening to JESUS – may it help you too to deepen your roots in JESUS’ cross. Whenever I will get across of new insights and significant descriptions related to JESUS’ CROSS I will add them to this section of our web. If you want to share some thoughts or experiences which can enrich others, please send them to us as well.