North Florida Writer
  • Home
  • Blog
  • Life Around Us
  • Contact
  • MY BOOK PAGE

SUNDAY MORNING COMING DOWN: The Symbolic Value of the Cross

10/20/2019

2 Comments

 
Picture
The three crosses over Clifton Forge. (Photo by Penny Mingee Crawford)
Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow me.
                                                            - Matthew 16:24 (NLT)

Not far from the old historical railroad town of Clifton Forge, Virginia we can find this beautiful display of the three crosses representing the place where Jesus so painfully died between two guilty criminals on Golgotha so many years ago.  The King of Kings, both man and God, was sent to earth in the form of man to sacrifice himself for our sins even though He was sinless. He did so to show God's love and His ability to forgive all of mankind in the past, present, and future for all of our sins.  And today, the symbolism of His cross lives on to remind us of the most precious gift He offers, for when this life is over, only His gift of Eternal Life can give us everlasting life with Him.


This morning as I pondered my weekly Sunday Morning Coming Down blog for tomorrow, I knew I wanted to write about the meaning of the cross and why it is so important.  As I looked for a good picture to express what was in my heart without words, I came upon this picture posted by someone I knew on Facebook and asked if she would mind me using it.  She is, like me, a devoted believer in Christ, and she agreed and so, I found the perfect picture for the thoughts I was thinking. Now I must confess that I am still a sinner, but I work hard every day to turn to God and not sin and I am much better at it now, but still not perfect. But then again, we humans will always come up short and God knows that about us. What He wants from us is to make the great effort to try and become sinless.  And, knowing that,  I could find no verse in the Bible more appropriate than the one  this blog is opened with.  You see, when Jesus was talking with His disciples and they asked Him what was necessary to become His follower, He made it clear what was required and that same advice is offered to us and all mankind as well.  If we want to follow Him based on faith that He is who he says He is, we must stop what we are doing and be done with our selfish and sinful ways.  We must take up or own cross and follow Him.

The cross we must take up is not a physical thing but a spiritual one.  We must open our hearts to the Holy Spirit residing within us and allow Him to guide us on the way to truth which is Jesus Christ, for only Jesus can save us from darkness and death with the gift He so graciously has offered.  And to accept that gift we must put Him first in our lives, for all other things are a very poor second at best.  When we take Jesus in our hearts, we want to do as He asks and throw caution to the wind. It can't be a part-time thing, it has to be a part of everything we do in life and that doesn't come without pain and suffering. Just like Jesus died on the cross, there are many who will scorn us, belittle us and sometimes even harm us or kill us. But there is one things they really can't do.  They can't kill our spiritual being, only our physical one if we have Jesus and that spiritual life will live on in heaven above in a new and better body that will never suffer or die for all eternity.

When I look at those three crosses sitting up there in the Allegheny Mountains above that beautiful mountain town, I am struck by the message it visually sends and it is this.  Jesus is alive and well and looking down on us. He wants us to love Him and He loves us so. And when He returns to earth and He will at a time of God's choosing, those of us who believe will be saved eternally. And don't worry, if we die before that day and we truly believe in Him, we are also saved.  What could be better than that?  Absolutely nothing.
2 Comments
Penny
10/22/2019 10:50:04 am

James this warmth my heart ♥️
Anything about our Lord and savior delights n me .... I am blessed to call you my friend and thank you for using this amazing pic I capture on my trip ! I saw the cross ☦️ along the way many times while traveling and was blessed ! No accident here for me to of taken this pic and you spreading the only reason we r here on earth ! To honor God

Reply
James Dick link
10/22/2019 11:56:47 am

It was a pleasure to put words to that picture. I had been looking for the perfect picture to go with where my mind was taking me and POOF, there it was. That told me that God wanted me to use it. Glad you liked it and I am always glad to spread the word. Be blessed, Penny.

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    ABOUT ME

    Hi, I'm James, a writer who studies nature,  animals and all things created by God. I also write from time to time about what I think God expects of us.  I would love to hear your thoughts on these subjects. I hope you enjoy my comments.

    Archives

    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012

    Categories

    All
    America
    American Sports
    Animals
    Armed Forces Day
    Conservatism
    Doctorpatient0717615167
    Elections-2016
    Florida
    Florida-politics
    Freedom
    Freedom-of-speech
    Geese
    God
    Gods Glory0546cd6883
    Health Care
    Honor
    Integrity
    Jesus Christ
    Koch-brothers
    Leisure-time
    Love
    Military
    Nature
    Primaries
    Proverbs
    Safety
    Savior
    The Future
    Top-political-donors-list
    Tyrannical-government

    RSS Feed

Thanks for contacting northfloridawriter.com.
Photos used under Creative Commons from Arian Zwegers, trvlto, thomas pix, taberandrew, Justin A. Wilcox, Glyn Lowe Photoworks, ckay, phalinn, curtis palmer, bnpositive, oddsock, HooLengSiong, jespahjoy, illustir, ljlphotography, Out at Bob's, The Labour Party, ljlphotography, Mike Licht, NotionsCapital.com, eli.pousson, JasonParis, Fibonacci Blue, wht_wolf9653, bsabarnowl, ` TheDreamSky, Ken_Hoffman, dsearls, NCinDC, James Byrum, DonkeyHotey, Waiting For The Word, cliff1066™, possan, dpape, David Holt London, akeg, Waiting For The Word, Glyn Lowe Photoworks, MilitaryHealth, yukali, infomatique, goforchris, cliff1066™, Wootang01, dctim1, Donald Lee Pardue, LizMarie_AK, campdarby, CedarBendDrive, bill85704, faeparsons, TMAB2003, cliff1066™, Rennett Stowe, KOMUnews, cliff1066™, chris.huggins, USDAgov, mat_walker, gruntzooki, DonkeyHotey, ljlphotography, Elvert Barnes, Paulsasleepwalker, facebook.com/snapshotsofthepast, foto3116, Miller_Center, digitonin, BostonCatholic, Watt_Dabney, jepoirrier, EpicFireworks, derekskey, cletch, DonkeyHotey, KOMUnews, DonkeyHotey, ravensong75, Alan Cleaver, Francisco Diez, hermmermferm, cod_gabriel, Marxchivist, Fibonacci Blue, dbgg1979, “Caveman Chuck” Coker, David Barrie, rjs1322, Just Another Wretch, Keith Laverack, Waiting For The Word, whoohoo120, AFS-USA Intercultural Programs, Brett Jordan, yisris, Michael Hodge, Waiting For The Word, MilitaryHealth, doceggman, AlmazUK, taberandrew, cliff1066™, krossbow, shinya, The Jewish Agency for Israel, kudumomo, “Caveman Chuck” Coker, cliff1066™, johntrainor, emilio labrador, cliff1066™, EraPhernalia Vintage . . . (playin' hook-y ;o), **emmar**, Mrs. Gemstone, Andrea Westmoreland, Jeff Kern, Waiting For The Word, Abdulsalam Haykal, Donald Lee Pardue, roberthuffstutter, Dougtone, b1mbo, DonkeyHotey, paularps, kaatjevervoort, Simon Davison, BONGURI, Marion Doss, ex_magician, Bergfels, Brett Jordan, Tim Evanson, Art4TheGlryOfGod, Jeff Kubina, sskennel, DonkeyHotey, VirtKitty, Rodrigo_Soldon, resistealeau, MilitaryHealth, edalisse, Mervi Eskelinen aka tasselflower, Kaz Andrew, nitram242, Andrew Aliferis, uitdragerij, Paul J Everett, Joe Shlabotnik, Jeffrey, Harry Thomas Photography, Tim Evanson, U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service - Northeast Region, Ron Cogswell, Nationalmuseet, escapedtowisconsin, Michael Cory, DonkeyHotey, timsamoff, mrbillt6, bnilsen, themonnie, valeehill, dichohecho, Waiting For The Word, technochick, cliff1066™, RTD Photography, Randy Wick, Enokson, Rising Damp, DonkeyHotey, Waiting For The Word, SteveNakatani, Fovea Centralis, Dru Bloomfield - At Home in Scottsdale, lisaclarke, Mulad, Roswell_UMC, Bengt Nyman, U.S. Embassy New Delhi, FreedomHouse2, SuperFantastic, Rory Finneren, Alaskan Dude, Larry1732, Mr. T in DC, ikewinski, Ivy Dawned, RLHyde, Waiting For The Word, heartajack, dyogi, dailymatador, David Paul Ohmer, Pleuntje, Leonard Bentley, midwestnerd, Donald Lee Pardue, DonkeyHotey, Oli-Oviyan, PatrikWalde, flamesworddragon, The U.S. Army, Zach Heller Photography, DonkeyHotey, EvinDC, Marine Corps Archives & Special Collections, Ronnie Macdonald, Gerry Dincher, The U.S. Army, Jeff Belmonte, DonkeyHotey, Texas Military Forces, jim.greenhill, Ben Sutherland, the Original Jeff Martin, Loz Flowers, CBP Photography, spbpda, OCVA, Hot Rod Homepage, brianholsclaw, dozodomo, quinn.anya, KOMUnews, wtstoffs, Leo Newball, Jr., lilli2de, dmott9, Justin A. Wilcox, sören2013, boboroshi, newagecrap, CoreBurn, simminch, ninahale, EvinDC, Mister Awesome, HeyRocker, beggs, Donald Lee Pardue