Desensitized

“…Later, knowing that all was now completed, and so that the Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, “I am thirsty.” A jar of wine vinegar was there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put the sponge on a stalk of the hyssop plant, and lifted it to Jesus’ lips. When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit…”

　

　
…Did you ever get that “I’m missing something” feeling?

Like when you misplace a pen and search around for it for ten minutes only to find that it was right behind your ear the whole time?

I get that feeling. A lot.

Especially when I’m reading scripture, and especially when I’m reading scriptures like the one above;

…It’s like I’m missing something that’s before my very eyes. Literally.

I know what you’re thinking; Every Christian knows the story of the Cross: Jesus came to Earth, Lived, died and saved us from our sins. End of story.

I’ve heard it told like that countless times.

But I believe the Cross is far more than that;

Because the Cross isn’t a pass-tense noun,

It’s a present-tense verb.

It’s an action. It’s a radical act of love beyond human comprehension.

And that’s what this blog is all about; We’re studying the cross for the verb that it is; ever present in our lives and in all that we do.

We hear sermons about the Cross on good Friday and Easter, we read it in the scripture, we sing songs about it, we even wear it around our necks.

It’s safe to say, we’ve become desensitized.

I’ve noticed it in myself, as I read the last chapters of John; I know the verses so well and I remember exactly what happens from Gethsemane right through to the Resurrection.

…That’s what scares me.

Because when we read the text for the stereotype image of the cross, we are seriously missing it.

Because throughout the gospels, we see that Jesus is totally dynamic; every word He speaks has interminable

meaning, oceans of wisdom flowing from His every action, from His every thought.

And it doesn’t stop at the cross.

So this blog is all about sensitizing ourselves to the Cross and looking at it from a totally different, fresh perspective.

Because this is a love story of terrible beauty.

In fact,

It’s the story of us.