“But may it never be that I would boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.” Galatians 6:14
The Cross of Jesus Christ takes away any grounds we might use to exalt ourselves. However, it gives us every reason to boast of Jesus and His great sacrifice. Are you grateful for the Cross? It is the bridge spanning the chasm of condemnation that kept us separated from God. Only He could take an instrument of condemnation, guilt, and shame and turn it into a symbol of love, liberty, and life.
Are you grateful for the love shown on the Cross? “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). Love compelled God to send Jesus to the Cross. And love compelled Jesus to give His life on the Cross. This love was not stimulated by mankind’s recognition of our sinful condition or our need for a Savior. God’s sacrificial love came from Heaven before people on Earth even knew they were condemned.
Are you grateful for the liberty that comes from the Cross? “So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed” (John 8:36). By paying the penalty for our sins, Jesus set us free from eternal sorrow and separation from Him. The Cross also gives us liberty in this life. Our freedom is not to do as we wish; but to please God with how we live. This mindset stems from gratitude for the blood of Jesus, which washes away our sin and gives us access to the throne of God.
Are you grateful for the life made possible by the Cross? “For if we have become united with Him in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall also be in the likeness of His resurrection,” (Romans 6:5). Through salvation, our old nature is crucified with Christ. And through His resurrection we are regenerated—not merely reformed. So, the life of Christ lives in and through us, which makes fellowship with God possible.
We don’t deserve the love displayed on the Cross. Nor can we earn the liberty Christ’s sacrifice affords. Our only qualification is the shed blood of Jesus Christ. Of all the things for which we are thankful, we should be most grateful for the Cross. So, let’s live today in service of our Savior and Lord!
