The beginning of February brings many special times for individuals and couples. For me, being single - and proud of it - the month of February brings the greatest spectacle in all of racing! The Daytona 500 will air February 14th. That date I have semi-patiently waited for over the off season and finally it is here! Then I glanced at my work schedule and saw that I work that day. Bummer, I thought. Oh well - there is always ESPN mobile to keep me up to date on that happenings of the race.
Now I would be a fool if I did not mention what else is happening on February 14th. To most Americans it is a day of spending time with the one you love. Of course it is Valentines D
ay! How could I forget?! On that day we are supposed to remember how special that certain person is to us and show them affection for all that they mean to us.
As mentioned above I am single and proud of it. So far in my life I have not found someone that I can see myself being with. Albeit a small issue or large - I just haven't found anyone and I am ok with that. I can turn my affections and love towards Someone better. Someone who I honestly know loves me. Someone who loves me with a type of love
that is not found here on earth. It is a supernatural love. A love that exceeds all of my needs and expectations. He will love me when I am unlovable and care for me when I least deserve it. But I will eventually talk more about that.
Jon, my brother, gave me a book called "Living the Cross Centered Life" (Keeping the Gospel the Main Thing) written my C.J. Mahaney. Now many of you all know that I used to hate to read. I never saw the benefit of it. I am the type of person that likes to be up and about, not sitting in one place reading words. But, God works in strange ways doesn't He! This book, along with "Dug Down Deep" have really changed my perspective on a lot of things.
I have always known that I am a sinner in need of redemption. However, I thought that Jesus came only to save me and live the perfect life because I was unable to do so. John 3:16 tells us that God loved the whole world (and me) so much that He sent His Son to die for the world (me). However there is so much more to that story than I originally thought. There is so much more for me to learn, and I realize that I am just beginning to grasp the amount of knowledge that I have to learn. But because God is so vast, this little piece seems so large to me and that is so awesome.
Mahaney's book has truly changed how I viewed the cross. How much do I look at it as it being beneficial to me as apposed to how much it cost my Savior and Lord? How much do I make of the cross so that it benefits me as apposed to how much, by the cross, can I make of my Lord and Redeemer.
Josh remembers going to a convention and hearing a man by the name of John Piper speak about the cross. His words stirred Josh heart and they have more than stirred mine. They have broken it. Piper said "Do you love the Cross because it makes much of you? Or do you love it because it enables you to enjoy an eternity making much of God?" Wow! What powerful and thought changing words. I have looked at the happens that took place on the cross as it all benefitting me. That is partially true, however it is so selfish.
Mahaney I believe hit it right on the head. Christ did not die for us because we were sinners, He died for us because of who He is. He is Merciful and therefor died for us. He endured something that He had never had to endure before - true and utter separation from His Father. (And because of that, we will never have to endure true separation from God while on this earth) He bore ALL of the sins of this world. He endured ALL of the wrath of God for sin during those three hours that He hung there. He didn't call for His angels to come save Him. He didn't save Himself but yet in doing so He saved us. He gave Himself up so that we might be given a chance to know God. He died for us because the very nature of who He is determined that He do so. I mean, think about it. List off all the facts that you know about who God is. He is Love, Grace, Mercy, Kindness, Patient, Forgiving and so so much more. Are not all of those, reasons He came to die and things that poured out of Him as the blood ran down His side? Yes, they are but there is another reason as well.
1 Peter 4:11 states that in ALL THINGS may God be glorified through Christ Jesus our Lord. Christ realized that ultimately through His death God will be glorified - that was of the upmost importance to Christ and that should be of upmost importance to us as well. God was glorified in the death of His Son and for as long as this earth is around that death will continue to glorify God. So I go back to what John Piper said, do I look at the cross for what I receive out of it? Or do I look at the cross as a chance to personally glorify my God because of what Christ did?
Even after all that I know of what Christ went through on the cross, both for me and for His Father, for some reason at times I doubt His love for me. Just because I do not feel His love at times does not give me the right to doubt it. Love, for me, WAS SHOWN on the Cross of Calvary. The picture that I have towards the beginning of this post is Golgotha, the mountain where Christ was slain. At that very place Christ was rejected by His Father, forsaken and slaughtered in the worst death ever recorded in history. There, on that mountainside everlasting love for me was shown. How could I ever doubt Christ's love for me? He has already proven it to me. The real thing is, do I accept it? His Love is real, I must accept it.
Looking forward to Valentines day I see what the world views as love. Candy, flowers, dinner and a movie and sex. That is what love is to the world. How horrible and selfish. For many people they believe that is true love and for a while - I believed it too. Oh how sad that makes me. I would believe in the worlds love before believing in Christ's love to me that is so much more abundant, as it was shown in His death. This Valentines Day I urge you to spend the day reflecting on the Never-Ending-Love shown for you on the cross of Calvary. Focus your attention on what and Who was slain on the day of Christ Crucifixion and never forget the Love that was shown. In return - that view should change our mission in life to solely Glorify God through Christ Jesus.
I have so much more to write on this and as times allows I will.
- Nathan
