The Wonder of the Cross

I think it is safe to say that during this time of year there is more reflection in the life of the believer on the cross of Christ than during any other time. The reflection of this time on the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ forces many of us to our knees as we cling to the promises that we find our hope in. In the midst of a confused world we stand in complete wonder at the cross. One of my favorite passages in all of Scripture in regards to the greatest act of all time (past, present and future) is found in Isaiah 53:2-12
"2 He grew up before him like a tender shoot,
and like a root out of dry ground.
He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him,
nothing in his appearance that we should desire him.

3 He was despised and rejected by men,
a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering.
Like one from whom men hide their faces
he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

4 Surely he took up our infirmities
and carried our sorrows,
yet we considered him stricken by God,
smitten by him, and afflicted.

5 But he was pierced for our transgressions,
he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was upon him,
and by his wounds we are healed.

6 We all, like sheep, have gone astray,
each of us has turned to his own way;
and the LORD has laid on him
the iniquity of us all.

7 He was oppressed and afflicted,
yet he did not open his mouth;
he was led like a lamb to the slaughter,
and as a sheep before her shearers is silent,
so he did not open his mouth.

8 By oppression [a] and judgment he was taken away.
And who can speak of his descendants?
For he was cut off from the land of the living;
for the transgression of my people he was stricken. [b]

9 He was assigned a grave with the wicked,
and with the rich in his death,
though he had done no violence,
nor was any deceit in his mouth.

10 Yet it was the LORD's will to crush him and cause him to suffer,
and though the LORD makes [c] his life a guilt offering,
he will see his offspring and prolong his days,
and the will of the LORD will prosper in his hand.

11 After the suffering of his soul,
he will see the light of life [d] and be satisfied [e] ;
by his knowledge [f] my righteous servant will justify many,
and he will bear their iniquities.

12 Therefore I will give him a portion among the great, [g]
and he will divide the spoils with the strong, [h]
because he poured out his life unto death,
and was numbered with the transgressors.
For he bore the sin of many,
and made intercession for the transgressors."



It is upon this foundational Truth of the Gospel that our joy is made complete. We have been saved, rescued, plucked from the pit because of love and the glory of an allpowerful God. There will never be words to describe how grateful I am for this, my mind will never be able to fully comprehend the greatness of this, and it will continually leave me in awe of the Almighty Lord and Savior. My prayer is summed up in the lyrics to a song called "The Wonder of the Cross":

"Behold the empty wooden tree, His body gone, alive and free.
We sing with everlasting joy for sin and death have been destroyed,
Yes, sin and death have been destroyed!

May I never lose the wonder, the wonder of the Cross.
May I see it like the first time, standing as a sinner lost.
Undone by mercy and left speechless watching wide-eyed at the cost,
May I never lose the wonder, the wonder of the Cross. "



PRAISE THE LORD, HE HAS RISEN INDEED!