Would I
have been at the cross that day? Or would I have been too scared and run
away?
Recently, at a
Prayer Partner Retreat at Alta Mons with my church, I stood in the center of a
massive field surrounded by the gorgeous Blue Ridge Mountains. Awed and
silenced by the breath-taking beauty, I spun around in one brief sweep, like
Maria on the Sound of Music. Only I did not sing. I raised my arms in praise to
the King, for no song or words seemed adequate for that moment. I stood
completely still, listening to the gentle rush of a bulging stream and the
birds chirping overhead. I felt the cool breeze sweep across my face and the
soggy ground sink beneath my feet. That last sensation was my cue to move on.
As I looked up,
I spotted a rough-hewn cross in the distance. Stepping closer, I noticed
multiple carvings on the wooden beams. Testimonies to the Lord of Lords and
King of Kings. Scratched into the wood were such praises as: God
eternal. Almighty God. Prince of Peace. Everlasting God. Sing praise.
I wondered
about the folks who had etched their testimony onto the cross for others
passing by to witness. Probably men, women, boys, and girls just like me, with
struggles, failures, and heartaches, but in love with the Savior. So much so,
they took the time to stop and leave their praise imprint.
As I stood
alone before the empty cross, I could not help but wonder if I would have been
so bold the day my Lord died. Would I have supported him publicly as He was
dying for me publicly? Or would I have been like so many of His followers who
simply turned away, scared and confused?
I thought about
how easy it was to stand before a symbolic cross on a quiet May day, surrounded
by beauty and other believers, only a short distance away, who shared a passion
for prayer. My heart was convicted and challenged. I wondered what sacrifice I
had made that could even begin to compare to my Lord's sacrifice for me.
Stepping even
closer to the cross and viewing the etchings, I wondered what lasting
impressions I had made for God's kingdom because I had encountered the Christ
of the cross.
Would my life
be any different for having been here? What would I do or say today that would
show at least one other person my Savior lives?
No comments:
Post a Comment