True to the Cross

Wednesday Wanderings with Dr. Sherri is biweekly and a time we set aside to wander in the Presence of Jesus and ponder His truths. When you are ready, prepare your mind, body, and soul to have a transformational encounter with Jesus.

Watch the Wednesday Wanderings Welcome for this week.

Now that we have cleared our minds of the clutter, we can wander on the journey with our Holy Jesus.

PREPARATION: In our last Wandering with Dr. Sherri, we reviewed how God’s love helps us to love the world that may despise us. This week we will consider the meaning of  being True to the Cross. When you are ready, you may begin the dialogue with Jesus and state: “Jesus, I invite you to help me to leisurely wander into your Presence. Prepare my heart to receive, and illuminate my spiritual senses to encounter you.”

PROMISE: 1 Corinthians 1:18 Amplified Bible ¹⁸ For the message of the cross is foolishness [absurd and illogical] to those who are perishing and spiritually dead [because they reject it], but to us who are being saved [by God’s grace] it is [the manifestation of] the power of God..

To the old rugged cross I will ever be true
It’s shame and reproach gladly bear
Then he’ll call me someday to my home far away
Where his glory forever I’ll share

Evangelist George Bennard, author of The Old Rugged Cross proclaimed that he would be “True” to the cross. What does that mean? The cross is the symbol of Christ and Christianity. Therefore, Bennard was stating that he will be true to Christ in his crisis by examining his truth, and choosing to cling to the cross. Though the times were different, during this global crisis of the Covid-19 pandemic, we too can choose Christ IN the crisis.

PARABLE: What does it look like to be true to Christ in a crisis? Chaos has a way of challenging our true self.  Over the last few weeks as I completed a mandatory fourteen day self-quarantine and experienced symptoms of the coronavirus which lead to being tested, as I waited for the test results, I became afraid. BUT, I chose to be true to Christ about my emotions, invite Him into my chaos, and to take my fear to the cross. 

It is true that someone is experiencing fear in unemployment, fear in being the physical target of the fear experienced from unemployment, fear of mom’s boyfriend being home and having more time to creep into the room, fear of how they will feed their family, and fear of being evicted. During this global crisis and social distancing and social isolation, it is more important than ever that we don’t cause those who need encouragement to suffer silently in depression, discouragement or danger by using Christian language of faith over fear and prayer over panic without providing a context of truth.

Being true to the cross is about being authentic and admitting our behaviors, sensations, feelings and struggles to Jesus and others. This is how we access the saving power, help, and the hope of Jesus IN fear, IN panic, IN chaos. This is the way we lead others to the power of God that saves us IN fear.

PONDER and WANDER:  If you choose, Ponder the questions: What am I truly struggling with during this time of social distancing? What part of this is hard for me?

Perhaps the message of faith OVER fear, and prayer OVER panic, and calm OVER chaos does not accurately reflect the journey of a crisis. Over implies above, but over also means extending directly up from. Those of us who are willing to be transparent will admit that faith OVER fear came after we experienced fear. Maybe you are experiencing fear, panic, and chaos right now. Take a moment and honestly ponder with Christ what you are truly struggling with during this time of social distancing.

Soul care training exercise: The word of the cross saves and is more powerful than our circumstances. It is Christ and the hope of the cross that empowers us to exercise faith OVER fear, prayer OVER panic, and calm OVER chaos.

If you choose, complete this week’s soul training exercise and consider taking time to be transparent with Christ. 

• When you are ready, clear your mind and focus on being authentic with Christ.
• Next, allow the Holy Spirit to help you admit the struggle you are having with the coronavirus, social distancing, and the effects of Covid-19. Say, “This time of social distancing, this uncertainty, this temptation is hard, and I need help to make it through.”
• Then, begin to pray with the grace of Christ. Acknowledge that struggle, even your struggle, is common to humanity. Say, “I am not the only person struggling with this issue but the power of Jesus can deliver me.”
• Lastly, administer self-compassion. Say, “I will extend grace to myself and to others when fear creeps in and I will ask God to help my unbelief.”

PRAYER: Father, thank You for the reminder of the cross. When fear, anxiety, and depression come to our paths, help us take them to Jesus and cling to the redeeming benefits of His death, burial, and resurrection. Help us choose the benefits of peace IN the storm, hope IN distress, light IN darkness, and help IN times of need. In the power of Jesus and the deliverance power of the cross I pray. Amen.

PRAISE: Now that you have emptied your mind of the clutter and wandered with Jesus, take a closing moment to thank our loving God for the Old Rugged Cross. Let the work of your wandering fill you with the love of Christ.

Then take the mindfulness of God’s presence cultivated in these last few minutes of wandering into the next ones and beyond.

Until next time, be Resonant.

The post True to the Cross  appeared first on Resonant 7.

Image attributions:
The cross is foolish googleimages with text.
True to the cross googleimages with added text.
Cling to the cross googleimages with added text.