<< >>
Standing Before the Cross
Moments of Story, Moments with God
Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!
John 1:29
“Why are you crying, Mother?” the young boy asked, as he stood hand in hand with her before a painting in a museum. It depicted three men crucified on Calvary hill.
She wiped her eyes and offered a faint smile. “Because this picture shows two things at the same time, my son. It shows the greatest injustice ever committed and the greatest victory mankind has ever been given.”
“I don’t understand,” the boy said, studying her face. “Surely these men were criminals and got what they deserved. I thought, the government only punishes bad men.”
“Not the Man in the middle,” his mother replied, gently drawing him closer. “The Man in the middle was Jesus. He is the sinless Lamb of God, who came to take away the sins of the world. He died that day, yet He conquered death and rose again on the third day.”
She then pointed to the two men beside Him. “These two were guilty, yes. They represent all of humanity, you and me included. Sinners, standing without hope in ourselves, deserving judgment.”
The boy frowned. “Couldn’t Jesus have taken away their sins too, Mother?”
“Yes,” she said softly. “He could have. And He did offer Himself to both of them. One of them repented, even in his final moments. But the other mocked Jesus and turned away. Grace was offered to both, but only one received it.”
The boy was quiet for a moment. Then he asked, “But why a cross, Mother?”
She looked again at the painting with reverence, and a tear slowly traced her cheek. “The cross speaks in every direction, my son. It stretches to the right and to the left, embracing all of history. It reaches backward into the past and forward into the future. Christ’s sacrifice is sufficient for all people, for all time. No one is beyond its reach.”
“And upward?” the boy asked.
Her face softened. “Upward it points to God, to heaven. The cross stands between earth and heaven and through it, the way back to God has been opened. Because of Jesus, sinners can be reconciled to God.”
They stood silently for a while, both taking in the depth and beauty of what they saw. At last, the boy spoke again, his voice quiet. “Can Jesus be my friend too, Mom?”
She knelt beside him and smiled through her tears. “Yes, my boy. He can, and He wants to be more than a friend. He wants to be your Savior and your Lord. If you trust Him, if you ask Him to forgive your sins and follow Him, He will never turn you away.”
She took his hands gently in hers. “Why don’t we sit here for a moment and talk to Him together?”
Prayer
Lord, help me draw near to You, to walk in Your strength, and follow Your Spirit every step of the way on my pilgrim’s path. Amen.
_____