He Is Faithful through the Cross

Jesus is a faithful friend. We think about it. But do we know it? Do we remember how faithfully he set himself down for us, so that we could be lifted up? Do we know how resoundingly he said yes to death so that we could live?

At times, I think about the cross, and I reserve myself from it. I think it too holy, too bold, too grand. I fear having the wrong thoughts about the cross—I fear trivializing it in any way. But, that means that my heart is sometimes far from the cross.

I think of Paul’s words that he was determined in his ministry to know nothing but Christ and him crucified (1 Corinthians 2:2). That determination is a far thought from my mind. My carefulness and caution in life, spiritually, can cause me to do that which I fear. My caution with Jesus in my thought can then minimize the cross as a part of my thought.

Jesus is so precious to me that I hold him far from me because I know that my mind is not worthy of thoughts of the cross. My heart is too feeble and inadequate to hold what Jesus did for humanity.

But Jesus wants me to proceed anyway. His thoughts toward me are faithful love, and merciful lovingkindness. He wants me to dwell upon the reasons for his faithfulness: that he won me as his own child through the cross that feels too great for my person.

Jesus calls me near through the cross. Even though I keep him at a distance, he is faithful to bring the cross near. How can I do justice to that which confounds me and silences my spirit? How can I do justice to that which is more beautiful than I can express?

I need to let notions of eternity do their job in me. They have a role. And, that role is to allow for an expression of thanksgiving—to allow my imagination to receive that the cross will be honored by my person. I need not fear, I need not keep the cross at a distance from my heart, because I will be able to express my thanks forever.

His faithfulness with never end. Even in all that eternity long, the cross will never cease to save me. There will not be a moment in eternal glory when the cross will fail to bring me at one with God—at total peace. Eternity will not change the reality of life eternal. And that, that is a faithful love. 

When I set the cross before my eyes—when I dare—I do not know how to react. Do I cry? Do I smile? Both? I am stunned. I don’t want to see him there: I don’t want to see my precious Lord hanging upon that tree.

But then, I am reminded of two truths. First, I remember when Jesus told Peter to get behind him (Matthew 6:23)—all in response to Peter being a stumbling block concerning Jesus’ most important work on earth. Second, I am reminded that Jesus is not hanging on the tree any longer.

You see, I need to let it have happened. I need to allow the truth of the historicity of the cross to be my reality. And then, I need to remember that Jesus doesn’t suffer there anymore—and never will again. He is eternally glorified.

I am not sure that I would have been a help to Jesus had I walked among him. I wouldn’t have wanted for him what he needed to do—and indeed did for joy (Hebrews 12:2). Had I understood it, would I have submitted to my precious Lord hanging upon the tree? Not without anguish.

This I can remember: he hung upon the cross for me and for joy—because it was necessary to save me. Only he could be the second, better Adam. Only he could become the firstfruits and new representative of the human race so that all could be saved through him.

Thankfully, I never had to hear from Jesus: “get behind me Satan,” as Peter heard from our Lord. Thankfully, I did not have to witness the death of my Lord. Thankfully, I live in the time past the crucifixion and need not dwell upon any image that has him still on the cross. The cross is bare, as the tomb is empty. And that is very good news.

Jesus is faithful; he is faithful to let me mull, over time and eternity, the reality of such a sacrifice. He is faithful to bring pieces of the cross to my remembrance so that I can live with it before my eyes. He is faithful to remind me that he is now honored forevermore. He is faithful with my slowness of spirit to care for me in all of my concerns—now-muted concerns for his suffering, and a fullness of concerns that I cannot receive all of the magnitudinous meaning the cross brings into my life.

I don’t like to look at the Savior suffering. It is not pleasant to my thought. But he did it for the joy. And so, I can think of the joy it brings too. This piece of the cross he sets before me now: the joy that he is faithful to me forever through it. And, he will yield praise from me in his time and his way, as he deals with me. He is faithful to give me eternity to thank him for the tree.