Most of my life I have embraced a philosophy that says “I won’t trespass on you, if you don’t trespass on me.”  By and large, I think it has worked for me and made me a little bit of a better person in some ways.  The truth is, though, that my motivation is really that I just don’t want to be trespassed against.  So I have adopted a moral high ground that I figure justifies my feelings when you trespass.  It is with this backdrop that I babble today.

For many years, I have enjoyed the Christian music scene.  When I was younger, I played in a Christian heavy metal band and loved the scene.  We wore black clothes and large cross necklaces and Doc Martens.  Then came the flannel… but that’s another story.  This story is about the cross.

In these recent years, I chuckle about the irony of the huge cross I wore while carrying a ‘no trespassing’ philosophy around with me everywhere.  See, these days when I see the cross, I am reminded of my trespasses against Him.

For years, I’ve heard songs about the ‘wonderful cross’ and I do understand the sentiment.  But to me, the cross is an image of my sin.  I work hard to avoid trespassing on others so that they won’t trespass on me, but I have heaped trespasses upon Jesus.  All of those trespasses are nailed to that cross…  Every single one.  So the cross is a reminder that without Him I am eternally lost.  And try as I might, I could not undo my trespasses.  Only He could… and He did.

The cross is also a symbol of hope and grace for those very reasons.  Our sins are left there when we receive Jesus and repent.  Our trespasses against God resulted in Jesus hanging on that cross and bearing our sins despite the fact that He had trespassed against no one.

So it is with a sobering eye and a thankful heart that I look upon the cross.  It bears my shame and my salvation.  It is my failure and His redemption.  It is the very most act of love.

If you happen to see a cross today, I hope it stirs up these feelings in you.  That God loves you so much that He did cover your trespasses with the death of His Son.  If you are not saved, then I hope you will take the next step and receive Jesus.

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” – John 3:16-18, NKJV

“…if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” – Romans 10:9-10, NKJV