The Old Rugged Cross...

In church today there was a graphic on the big screen. It was a beautiful silvery cross that was elevated and slowly spinning.  It really got me thinking.  The original cross was an instrument of torture, punishment, and death reserved for the most heinous crimes.  There was nothing beautiful about it. But then God, the perfect father, creator, and judge decide to have mercy on us and took our places on that cross.  He took MY place on that cross.  His blood washed it clean.  Those awful pieces of wood became the symbol of freedom, redemption, eternal life, peace with God, grace, and mercy for millions of people.  For me.

I wear a cross.  I keep it inside my shirt next to my heart.  It is a plain one.  Stainless steel with a simple rosewood inlay.  I wear it to remind me who I am and what has been done for me.  The reason why I wear it inside is because for years crosses became a fashionable "bling" statement and were worn as such.  I saw people wearing their overly gilded crosses over their Ozzy Osbourne "Prince of Darkness" T-shirts (some still do wear them that way).  So I find it pretentious for me to wear mine outside my shirt. Please, this is not a criticism of my brothers and sisters who wear crosses.  I am just stating why and how I wear mine.  I know that most of you wear them in the same manner you have a fish on your car and for the same reasons I wear mine.

So, to make a long story longer,  the beautiful graphic I saw today was very symbolic of Christ taking something horrific and ugly (like my heart and soul) and transforming it through His blood, His death and resurrection, His grace and mercy, and most of all, His love for me, into a symbol of beauty and elegance.

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