Imago Scriptura - 24 - Cross

Coming to the end of the Gospel of Mark - today brought the story of the trial of Jesus and the crucifixion that followed. It immediately got me thinking about where I am seeing the cross in my daily life - both literally and figuratively. I have often heard it said of protestants that we focus more on the resurrection than the crucifixion - hence why we do not have crucifixes central in our sanctuaries and worship spaces but instead just the empty crosses. But when we just focus on the forgiveness and freedom that we have through Christ (which is an indescribable amazing awesome gift) we sometimes forget the reasons that led to a need for forgiveness and freedom. The cross reminds us of the brokenness of our selves and our world and the length that God was willing to go to secure that forgiveness and freedom.

I took this picture a few mornings ago and I didn’t see the cross in the image until after rI had downloaded it to my computer. I was mostly trying to get a shot of the sunrise on a foggy morning. But when I saw the thumbnail in my photo program, I saw a cross on the left side of the picture. Of course when you look at it larger, its a telephone/electrical pole and not an “intentional” cross, but once you see it that way its hard to see it otherwise. Since that morning whenever I look down that street, I see the cross first and foremost.

That’s how God wants to work in our lives. God wants to make it to where we can’t help but see God’s hand at work - whether its the cross, the resurrection, an answered prayer, a miracle, a sense of God’s peace, a chance opportunity to witness and minister, or a host of other things.