A CROSS OF LOVE

“But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.  All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.”

Isaiah 53:5,6 KJV

Many years ago when I lived in East Texas, my Sunday school teacher had a Christmas party for us in her home.  We had a wonderful time together.  There was a lot of laughter, playing games and delicious food. 

Then Dr. Bailey, she not only was our Sunday school teacher, she is also a pediatrician, said to us “Ladies, it’s time for our devotions.  Let’s go into the living room”.

She had a huge living room and her husband had taken the door off and there lying on the floor was a big cross.  When we saw the cross, we stopped talking.  Some of us got tears in our eyes as we thought about what that cross represented.

Dr. Bailey gave us paper and pens and told us to write down everything we had done and every thought that we had during our life time that not only was a sin but also hurt Jesus.  I am ashamed to say this but I had to write on the other side of the paper. 

Then she had us do something that to this day still humbles me and brings me weeping and broken hearted to the feet of my precious Saviour.  She gave each one of us a sack of nails and hammer and had all of us kneel on the floor by the cross. 

She had us go one at a time to the cross and nail our papers to the cross just as if we were pounding the nails into the hands of our precious Saviour.  I will never forget that day as long as I live.  My heart was broken that day and I cried.  There are tears in my eyes right now as I am typing this devotion to realize anew that Jesus loves me so much that He suffered all of that agony, horror and excruciating pain on that old rugged cross for me.  He not only endured all of that pain and torture for me; He endured it for you too.  He really does love you.

Pastor Chuck Lawrence of Christ Temple Church in Huntington, WV wrote a beautiful song that never fails to make me cry every time I hear it “He Grew the Tree”.  The words in this song should bring every one of us to the foot of the cross.  The words help us to understand that Jesus didn’t just die on a cross; He died on a cross of love. 

“With tears in His eyes, God looked down through time.  Saw Him spat upon, Rejected and mocked.  Still He grew the tree, That He knew would be, Used to make the old rugged cross.”  What kind of love is this that God would grow a tree that He knew His beloved Son was going to be crucified on?  What kind of love kept Jesus on that cross when He could have come down? 

It was an unselfish, giving and unconditional love that came from Their hearts for you and for me.  The most wonderful thing is that They still love us the same way today.  Their love is unchanging and unending!  We know that They love us.  The question each one of should ask ourselves is “Do I love Them?”  It’s wonderful to know They love us but They also need to know that we love Them.

Thank You, Heavenly Father, for growing a tree that became a cross of love.  Thank You, Jesus, for staying on that cross of love for us when You could have come down.  Both of You are wonderful and I love both of You with all of my heart and appreciate all You have done for me.  Amen.

Joanne Lowe

March 4, 2010

     

    

A RECIPE FOR ENCOURAGEMENT

“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.”

Psalm 23 KJV

I think that most of us can quote this Psalm by heart without looking.  The question is, do we really understand and believe what we are saying?  Many times we memorize Bible verses and don’t really pay attention to what we are saying.  It is the same with singing in church.  We sing the same hymns so often that we know them by heart and instead of worshipping Jesus while we are singing, we let our minds wander.

When I lived in East Texas, my pastor preached a sermon on encouragement and he used this Psalm.  He told us that when we started feeling discouraged to say this Psalm and to put our names in it to make it personal.  He said that it had been a source of encouragement for him many times during his thirty eight years as a pastor.  I started doing it the next day.

I said “The Lord is Joanne Lowe’s Shepherd.  Joanne Lowe shall not want.”  I said the entire chapter putting my name in the right places and I felt such a peace, such an encouragement and such a comfort flood my heart that could have only have come straight from the loving heart of our precious Saviour.

For those of us who teach Sunday school, especially the little children, it is extremely important that we explain the phrase “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want”.  Also, for those of us who have children and grandchildren, it is very important that we make sure they know what this verse means.  For many years I thought that I wasn’t supposed to want Jesus because of this verse.  Don’t laugh.  I have had three people tell me they thought the same thing that I did.  Instead of pursuing Jesus, I ran from Him.  After I started studying the Bible and asked the Holy Spirit to teach me, I understood that the verse means that I shall not want anything because Jesus will provide everything that I should ever need.

If today you are hurting and feeling discouraged and are lonely and frightened, try putting your name in while you say this Psalm. Allow Jesus to comfort and encourage you as only He can.  He is our loving Saviour and Friend.  Thank You, Jesus, for loving us so much and for putting up with us when we hurt You and fail You so many times.  Please plant deep within our hearts a desire to be an encouragement and comfort to our families, our loved ones and to a world that is hurting and desperately needs someone to care about them and love them.  Amen.

Joanne Lowe

October 25, 2007