Thoughts on Today's Verse...
The Cross is such an offensive symbol when viewed in its most basic and raw form (1 Corinthians 1:18-24). For God to allow himself to become human flesh and live among us is unbelievable enough. For God to be willingly subjected to the vagaries and rigors of mortality and human needs in Christ is unthinkable. For God in Christ to endure the indignities and inhumanities of the Cross is preposterous. That, however, is the gospel truth! What appears to be foolish, weak, and offensive has the power to remake us and inspire us to unparalleled faith in Christ. When we come to the Cross and Resurrection of Jesus, we come to the impossible, which was made possible and accomplished by God's grace for us, and in us, in Jesus and his death on the Cross. Only God would bring us salvation in such a way.
My Prayer...
Holy and gracious Father, I know that the Cross may seem silly and foolish to some people. I know some people who wear the Cross as a symbol don't honor Christ for what he did upon the Cross. But Father, I confess that for me, Jesus' willingness to go to the Cross is powerfully convicting and amazingly reassuring. You have captured my heart with your sacrificial love in sending Jesus to redeem me. Thank you for your gift of grace and Jesus' willingness to endure and suffer for me. In his name, I thank, pray, and praise you. Amen.
