THE GIFT OF THE CROSS

What is a gift all about, how do you determine the value or what it costs? This week we sent a gift box to our grandchildren. The cost of the shipping was as much as what was in the box, but I didn't think twice about the cost of the shipping, because it was part of the gift.

I read a story years ago that went something like this: A teacher in a mission school in Africa was returning home after many years of service. The morning before she left a small boy showed up at her door with a beautiful flower. The flower only grew at the base of the mountains many miles away. On questioning him she found that he had walked the great distance there and back again to bring her this special flower. She told him it was uncalled for that he should have made that journey just to give her a present. To which he replied, "But the journey was part of the gift."

I have thought about these two incidents and about how they reflect upon the gift given us by Christ Jesus. Paul tells us, "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 6:23, KJV) I don't know if you have ever given any thought to it, but don't you think that God is wise enough to have found another way to bring salvation to the world? I believe he could have, but what other way would express the love he has for mankind than the one he chose. John writes in 1 John 4:10 "This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins."

The Son of God came down to this earth and lived among people. He grew, experienced all of the difficulties and heart aches that every person knows. Then he died in pain and agony on the cross for you and me. Did he have to do it that way? No! But I believe it is part of his gift to us.

The writer of the Hebrew letter puts it this way in Hebrews 4:14-16, "So then, since we have a great High Priest who has entered heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we believe. This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testing's we do, yet he did not sin. So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most." (NLT)

At this period of time our world is focused as at no other time at the gift Christ gave of dying upon the cross. Let me encourage you to stop and think through all of the implications to your life. The gift didn't begin and end upon the cross; that just was the most visible part of the sacrifice and gift to us. Part of the gift also was in the long journey to the cross.

My prayer is that you may live lives worthy of the gift that has been given to us all.

Russ Lawson

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