This last weekend I was in Phoenix, Arizona for the Best Practices for Ministry Conference. The conference was wonderful. Over 2,300 Christians joined in celebrating Jesus while learning how to better serve and share His message within our communities and around the world. LWML presented a session offering a Prayer Walk.
Why do Christians gather like this? The answer is so simple to us — to hold the cross before us. We are united in Christ’s death and united in His life! As I’ve done before, I share with you the writing of a dear friend and member of my church, Jan Schmidt. These words are relevant every day:
Hold Thou Thy cross before my closing eyes;
Shine through the gloom, and point me to the skies
Heaven’s morning breaks, and earth’s vain shadow flee;
In life, in death, O Lord, abide with me. (LSB #878, verse 6)
The evening worship comes to a close. The lights in the church are dimmed. But the huge cross behind the altar is backlit, glowing in the twilight. The organ plays softly, and we sing, “Hold Thou Thy cross before my closing eyes.”
I don’t know if I was awake or asleep the hour I was baptized. But I began my life as a child of God with the cross of Christ before my eyes. I was marked then with the cross of Christ forever. If the day comes when my mind is no more aware of myself and my surroundings than on my baptismal day, I will need someone to once again hold the cross before my eyes and point me to the skies where my Savior waits to welcome me home.
The cross. There is no more shameful way to die. But typical of God, He has taken the shame and changed it into glory. The cross is empty. Jesus’ body is not there. It is not in the grave. He is risen – just as He said! I can say with Job, “For I know that my Redeemer lives; and at the last he will stand upon the earth. And after my skin has been thus destroyed, yet in my flesh I shall see God, whom I shall see for myself, and my eyes shall behold, and not another” (Job 19:25-27).
As I wake each morning and fall to sleep each night, the cross of Christ is ever before me, and I rest in the truth of my salvation. Let’s keep gathering — let’s keep sharing this message of salvation with the world until the Lord calls us home.
Today, and always, we are surrounded by HIS grace,
Debbie
