The Way of the Cross Leads Home

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"I am crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live. Yet, it is not I, but Christ who lives in me!" (Galatians 2:20)

The Cross is one of the clearest and most inspiring examples of the wisdom of God. Only He could devise such a plan whereby we may die, and yet live. And in both cases there is specific consequence -- we die to sin, and live to God. And, isn't that what we really want after all?

We, the fallen sons and daughters of Adam, were born into a slavery even more egregious than that which has been inflicted by man upon man down through the ages. We were born into slavery to Sin, and polluted with it poisonous presence; which has brought ruin to our souls, and has wrought havoc in all areas of our lives. Even when we are good, we are bad. We boast in self-righteousness, and turn the very act of faith into a weapon of fear, unleashed against those who don't believe or behave as we prescribe.

Left to ourselves we will destroy ourselves. But God, who is rich in mercy and great in love, has intervened on our behalf with brilliant cunning of such wit and mastery that Satan never saw it coming -- indeed, he was clueless until the deed was done. And now he stands trembling in defeat, for what God has wrought cannot be undone.

You want to know what it is? Simply this -- God placed us in Christ when He was crucified on the cross, and now places Christ in us when we embrace His cross as our own! In this singular stroke of unrivaled genius God has made a way for us to die to sin and live to Him. It is the way of the Cross.....and it leads us home.

The songwriter said it well, "I must needs go home by the way of the Cross; there's no other way but this. I shall ne'er gain sight of the Gates of Light if the way of the Cross I miss. Then I bid farewell to the way of the world, to walk in it nevermore. For my Lord says, 'Come,' and I seek my home; where He waits by the open door! Oh, the way of the cross leads home. Yes, the way of the cross leads home! It is sweet to know as I onward go, the way of the cross leads home!" (Charles Gabriel 1875)

How about for the next few days we embrace the cross, and see what happens. Let's ask the Lord to make actual in our lives that power which subdues sin, conquers Satan, and silences Self in the grave. Then will us see the Lord Jesus made manifest in our lives, and our confession will be as Paul's -- "I am crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live. Yet, it is not I but Christ who lives in me!"
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