Foot of the Cross - Part II
With Holy Week fast approaching, I thought I would give my readers something to think about. I am actually stealing some of my own material which I wrote several months ago but felt it was even more appropriate for our upcoming Holy Week. I have taken my original article and enhanced it for this special edition.
I'm sure every Christian understands the commandment "love thy neighbor" and all that that entails, but the question is, how? The Bible tells us that it is easy to love those who are good to us, aka our friends, but if we love only those who love us, what merit is there in that for us? Jesus had good friends, they were his closest followers. He traveled from town to town giving people a new way to live. Many people loved to listen to him preach and they loved his message even more. It is safe to say that he enjoyed great popularity (by our standards) for some time. His 12 closest friends loved Jesus so much that they were even willing to give up their lives to follow him! I wonder how many of my friends would be willing to the do the same for me, hmmmmm. But at the end of the day, when Jesus was forced to walk the road to Calvary, and then was ultimately lifted high on the cross, who did he see? For all his great popularity, the Bible recognizes only 3 faithful women and one courageous man at the foot of his cross. Where were all of his "friends" now? Where was their loyalty to their friend Jesus? Even Peter, the Rock, was no where to be found. I often wonder what went through his mind at that moment as he looked down from the cross at his 4 meager followers.
Doesn't this happen to us sometimes? I have some wonderful friends, mostly those I have known my whole life. I can tell them anything and I have complete trust in them. I have been really blessed that way, but as much as I love them, I'm not 100% sure they would be willing to be crucified next to me on a cross. We really do love and cherish our friends, especially when we are out to dinner with them or celebrating a wedding or another happy occassion? But still I wonder, who among them would be courageous enough to stand at the foot of my cross when I need them? This is what I ask you to think about today. Very often the people we "think" will be there, will not, and perhaps the one's we have neglected, ignored, or treated unfairly will surprise us and have courage. I'm not sure who will be at the foot of my cross but I'm pretty sure I'll be surprised! Even more importantly, Whose cross do we have the courage to stand at the foot of? It is one thing to ask another to lie down their life for a friend, but it is totally another for us to do this for another.
As Holy Week nears and we celebrate Good Friday (usually for most Catholics this includes the traditional "kissing of the Cross") I really would like you to think about this topic. When you walk to the Cross and bend to kiss His feet, ask yourself if you would have been there that day to comfort Him? If not, no matter, He would have loved you and forgiven you anyhow!
Let us enter into Holy Week with the courage to lay down our lives for others.
I'm sure every Christian understands the commandment "love thy neighbor" and all that that entails, but the question is, how? The Bible tells us that it is easy to love those who are good to us, aka our friends, but if we love only those who love us, what merit is there in that for us? Jesus had good friends, they were his closest followers. He traveled from town to town giving people a new way to live. Many people loved to listen to him preach and they loved his message even more. It is safe to say that he enjoyed great popularity (by our standards) for some time. His 12 closest friends loved Jesus so much that they were even willing to give up their lives to follow him! I wonder how many of my friends would be willing to the do the same for me, hmmmmm. But at the end of the day, when Jesus was forced to walk the road to Calvary, and then was ultimately lifted high on the cross, who did he see? For all his great popularity, the Bible recognizes only 3 faithful women and one courageous man at the foot of his cross. Where were all of his "friends" now? Where was their loyalty to their friend Jesus? Even Peter, the Rock, was no where to be found. I often wonder what went through his mind at that moment as he looked down from the cross at his 4 meager followers.
Doesn't this happen to us sometimes? I have some wonderful friends, mostly those I have known my whole life. I can tell them anything and I have complete trust in them. I have been really blessed that way, but as much as I love them, I'm not 100% sure they would be willing to be crucified next to me on a cross. We really do love and cherish our friends, especially when we are out to dinner with them or celebrating a wedding or another happy occassion? But still I wonder, who among them would be courageous enough to stand at the foot of my cross when I need them? This is what I ask you to think about today. Very often the people we "think" will be there, will not, and perhaps the one's we have neglected, ignored, or treated unfairly will surprise us and have courage. I'm not sure who will be at the foot of my cross but I'm pretty sure I'll be surprised! Even more importantly, Whose cross do we have the courage to stand at the foot of? It is one thing to ask another to lie down their life for a friend, but it is totally another for us to do this for another.
As Holy Week nears and we celebrate Good Friday (usually for most Catholics this includes the traditional "kissing of the Cross") I really would like you to think about this topic. When you walk to the Cross and bend to kiss His feet, ask yourself if you would have been there that day to comfort Him? If not, no matter, He would have loved you and forgiven you anyhow!
Let us enter into Holy Week with the courage to lay down our lives for others.
.JPG)
Powerful pondering. For me, I'm not concerned who will be there for me, but for who I will be there. It's going to be tough sleeping tonight as I think about how good a friend, husband, father and son I have been. Thanks Joyce!
ReplyDeleteI'm sure you're the best!
ReplyDelete