1^st April 2011

I am really grateful that as a teenager I responded to God's personal love for me, revealed in the Cross of Jesus. It challenged me and changed the direction and purpose of my whole life, to share its blessings with others. Much more recently I have realised that even the very shape of the Cross can highlight its message too, so I composed this poem. I do hope that it will help you to appreciate the Cross of Jesus and respond to the Jesus of the Cross.

 

LOOKING at THE CROSS of JESUS

The wondrous cross - a rugged cross - was staked on Calvary
that blessings truly wonderful might flow to you and me.
It's really helpful when you see the Cross to be a sign
of how it can affect your life in God's gracious design.

* It forms a ‘plus' sign, so to speak, of how God sets in place
the great ‘additions' to our lives through his amazing grace.
* Then it was staked in planet earth, God's purpose there to show
His love outpoured so lavishly on humankind below.

* Its upward point can signify direction for us all
on how we should pursue our life in Christ - God's ‘upward call'.
* The horizontal beam displays his outstretched arms, expressing
God's all-embracing love to all, extended for our blessing.

* Then notice how the vertical and cross-piece nailed together
show our relationship with God, and then with one another.
It's all through Jesus, for he said ‘I am the Way' for you
to God our Father, then you'll find new love for others too.

But none of this can happen in an automatic way.
It calls for personal response and special ways to pray.
We cannot boast before the Lord; the Bible speaks of sin
that separates us all from him because of what's within.

We think and speak and do wrong things that grieve the Father's heart,
and first of all we must repent sincerely on our part.
The other step is faith in all that Jesus did through dying.
Faith makes forgiveness possible when on his love relying.

At peace with God through faith in Christ, we then can enter in
to all that God will do for us as Jesus reigns within.
The great adventure has begun; for us the die is cast.
Abundant life is ours right now, and heaven at the last.

Eternal life is really ours, in Jesus Christ assured,
for after death God's promise is ‘Forever with the Lord'.
So do be sure that all is well, and rest on Calvary
to know that you are right with God for all eternity.

Rev. Perry Smith, Belmont, NSW