this the power of the cross.

i love the message of this song, both the image it creates and the theological significance it portrays.

appropriate this time, i believe, considering easter is not about a giant, chocolate egg pooping bunny.

oh, to see the dawn
of the darkest day:
Christ on the road to calvary.
tried by sinful men,
torn and beaten, then
nailed to a cross of wood.

this, the pow'r of the cross:
Christ became sin for us;
took the blame, bore the wrath—
we stand forgiven at the cross.

oh, to see the pain
written on Your face,
bearing the awesome weight of sin.
ev'ry bitter thought,
ev'ry evil deed
crowning Your bloodstained brow.

this, the pow'r of the cross:
Christ became sin for us;
took the blame, bore the wrath—
we stand forgiven at the cross.

now the daylight flees;
now the ground beneath
quakes as its Maker bows His head.
curtain torn in two,
dead are raised to life;
"finished!" the vict'ry cry.

this, the pow'r of the cross:
Christ became sin for us;
took the blame, bore the wrath—
we stand forgiven at the cross.

oh, to see my name
written in the wounds,
for through Your suffering i am free.
death is crushed to death;
life is mine to live,
won through Your selfless love.

this, the pow'r of the cross:
Son of God—slain for us.
what a love! what a cost!
we stand forgiven at the cross...

-- keith and kristyn getty: the power of the cross

true love.

"love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things."
-- 1 corinthians 13:6

so this passage has been speaking to me lately. and since it's valentine's day and the world, or at least the western hemisphere, is focused in on love, i thought it would be a good time to share this. it's quite a different description than that of today's society. endures all things. can you imagine what we'd be like today if we followed that part alone? no more divorce. no more church splits. no more war. no more hate crimes. no more murder. just from that one statement...at any rate, consider this the next time you casually tell someone you love them. it might give you a new perspective.


ps -- since it is valentine's day -- otherwise known as singles awareness day -- and i'm sure there are other singles out there dealing with the pressures of society on relationships, here:

"in the fear of the Lord, there is strong confidence,
and His children will have a place of refuge."
-- proverbs 14:26

so cuddle up with some chocolate and know that the God of the universe is your refuge today. :)

"that's what love is about - free will. we choose to love. and God chooses to love us. but that's also where evil comes in. we have free will. we choose to do evil. we chose to eat from the tree. and Christ chose to die on a tree...because we choose to do evil...that's love."
-- dr caner