May 24
Flat at the Foot of the Cross
Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. ––Hebrews 4:16
I call it the onslaught: the daily barrage of reminders and messages that tell us that life is lived on a slope. If you work hard enough and catch a few breaks, you live toward the top of the slope. We are told that toward the top gives you a better view, fresher air, better water. The further you move down the slope, the harder life gets and the less stuff you have.
We get hit with this onslaught—this worldly way of thinking—when we step out our front door or browse virtually any app on our phone. It’s impossible to avoid unless you are unwired or live completely off the grid with no cell service. The crazy thing is that we know this way of thinking is toxic: where life is graded and one’s self-worth is calculated according to the world’s metrics (income, title, looks, intelligence, popularity, etc.). It’s, well, a slippery slope.
Like the proverbial frog in the kettle, we often don’t even realize we’re drowning in this toxic vat of wrong-headed thinking until it’s too late. Perfectionism, striving, comparison … they’re tough habits to break in a world that thrives on these metrics to define a person’s worth.
What I love about the cross is that it’s not built on a slope. At the foot of the cross, we all stand on flat ground. There’s no economy plus, business, or first class when we approach the cross. There’s no VIP section or orchestra seats when we stand before it. We are all the same; we are all just as needy and worthy as the next person. After we die, we all get “the red carpet treatment” as we enter heaven and see our names written in the Lamb’s Book of Life. How cool is that?!
It’s so refreshing and freeing that in Christ, we do not need to strive for things that don’t last to impress people we don’t know. How brilliant that Jesus always emphasized the position of little children. To be spiritually childlike in Christ is a radical position to take in a world of adults striving after position and power. Yet, that is what Jesus calls us to do—surrender our power and position to Him and allow Him to take the lead.
Man of God, as you approach the cross, do so with the confidence that comes with embracing your position as a child of God, and gathering at its foot with men from all over the world. Rich and poor, unknown and famous, from every nation and from every corner of the globe. That’s a brilliant thought, isn’t it?
Lord, thank You that at the foot of the cross, I don’t need to strive or strain to get a view of You. I am so grateful for Your grace.