Spring is in the air today, and it has me thinking about Easter a little more than usual. It will be here before we know it. Really, if you’re involved in choir or children’s ministry or much of anything at church, it comes to the forefront of your mind pretty much as soon as Christmas is over (if not sooner). And I like it that way. Easter is at the center of the gospel we proclaim every Sunday, and hopefully every day we live as Christians.
There is a song in the Easter musical our choir will be singing this year that has words so rich that hearing them just once as we sing feels not enough. I wanted to share them here so you can fully take them in line by line as they so beautifully express a glimpse of what the cross of Jesus Christ means to us. And I pray it can be an encouragement for you in whatever season you may be experiencing right now.
Embrace the Cross
Embrace the cross where Jesus suffered,
Though it will cost all you claim as yours.
Your sacrifice will seem small beside the treasure.
Eternity can’t measure what Jesus holds in store.
Embrace the love the cross requires.
Cling to the One whose heart knew every pain.
Receive from Jesus fountains of compassion.
Only He can fashion your heart to move as His.
Chorus
O wondrous cross our desires rest in You.
O Lord Jesus, make us bolder
To face with courage the shame and disgrace
You bore upon Your shoulder.
Embrace the life that comes from dying.
Come trace the steps the Savior walked for you.
An empty tomb concludes Golgotha’s sorrow.
Endure then till tomorrow your cross of suffering.
Embrace the cross,
The cross of Jesus.
written by John G. Elliot
Copyright 1989 Universal Music – Brentwood Benson Publishing (ASCAP)
from the musical “O What a Savior” arranged by Russell Mauldin
Every line is so rich I could write something about what each word means to me, but I think what keeps standing out the most to share is that Jesus, on the road to the cross and dying on the cross, felt our every pain and took on our every sin so we can be saved and also so we can receive from Him “fountains of compassion” no matter where we find ourselves. He knows. He understands. He bore it all for us. We can simply receive what He freely pours out. And give Him thanks.
“For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have One who has been tempted in every way, just as we are–yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” -Hebrews 4:15-16 (NIV84)
“Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior, who daily bears our burdens.” -Psalm 68:19 (NIV84)
P.S. If you’re still reading this far. . . I wrote (part 1) on the title purposefully to make myself come back and write something else, hopefully soon!
Very uplifting! Thank you for sharing! I hope to read more of your posts in the future!
Thank you for the encouragement, Lynn! I really appreciate it. I'm hoping to be able to write more soon as well.