#2 - It Takes A Crash To Need A Rescue NRT Contributor Josh Petersen continues his new devotional series explaining our need to go to the cross and wait for our much needed rescue.
Josh Petersen: "There is freedom in falling to the foot of the Cross. Crashing to the feet of Jesus, who is ready and able to take our burdens and make them His own."
"I will wait for You there.
Down on my knees where I met You.
Give you all of my cares
Find the grace to hold on to now
I’m calling for You."
--"I Will Wait For You There" by Phil Wickham
I am in a small juice bar/coffee shop a block up from Pikes Market in downtown Seattle today. I’m partaking in an orange, pineapple, apple juice smoothie. It’s good and makes my throat feel cold. The bustle of the busy Seattle streets are background music today for me. There is an energy and spark in people’s steps here. Rock and Roll haircuts, cowboy boots with spandex pants, and Fedora hats are the rage here, because everyone has one it seems. Everyone also has an iPod in their ears...tuning out the world around them I guess.
Sometimes I wish I could tune the world around me out. Drown the sadness and chaos of daily life. But then that is what being a Christian is all about. Living life with hurting people, in hopes that they will see Jesus through our words, and more importantly how we treat them.
It feels like I am never home anymore. Always flying somewhere distant for a variety of purposes and challenges. Sometimes life just slams right into me and I find myself looking around for a protector...someone to relieve my burdens.
There is freedom in falling to the foot of the Cross. Crashing to the feet of Jesus, who is ready and able to take our burdens and make them His own.
Kate York sang it best when she said, "It takes a CRASH to need a RESCUE."
In a world ready to abuse and punish us for every wrong choice or turn, there is security and stability in the "Old Rugged Cross" still.
The Cross is a very compelling and dynamic symbol in the Christian faith.
Some look at it as a place of suffering, and some look at it as a place where our relationship really took its roots. Both are true.
Today I have been thinking about how the Cross is a place where the broken can go to get redemption and find shelter. We all need a protector, provider, and someone who can firm our foundation.
Colossians 2:13-15 says: "He forgave us all our sins... He took it away, nailing it to the cross. And having disarmed the powers and authorities, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross."
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There is forgiveness in the Cross. Jesus nailed our burdens, afflictions, and most importantly our SIN to the cross. He was our atoning sacrifice. Our spotless lamb. He took the bullet...for the whole world to see.
Isaiah wrote in Isaiah 53:5: "He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him, and by His wounds we are healed."
Unbelievable.
It’s almost like a fairy-tale...but yet is complete reality. Jesus is our defender, but instead of riding in on a white horse and slaying our enemies with His sword. He was pierced. Sacrificed. Intentionally He came to our rescue and took our daily burdens and allowed them to be nailed to the Cross.
The Cross is a place of unloading. Unloading our trouble, hardships, broken promises, unfulfilled dreams, destroyed virtues, uncompleted projects, and heartache. It is a quiet place. In the shadow of our Savior, who does not look down with judging intent, but with unconditional love. The kind of love that we wish we possessed and that others would give us.
Other people have promised shelter...but only One can be our rest.
Other people have promised advice and wisdom...but only One can tenderly rebuild us.
Other people have promised love...but only One proved it.
Jesus is waiting for you to come to Him, and lay your head in his lap, and shed your cares on Him. He is a gentleman and will never shout...only listen.
Today is a perfect day for going to the Cross. Going to the place where our relationship with Jesus began. It is the best day to confess our sin and suffering and allow God to start the healing process in our chest.
Life will still beat you up. There will be more "crashes." But there will also be more "rescues."
And to be rescued is worth the wait.
Posted May 05, 2009 | Josh Petersen serves as the Manager of Marketing and Retail Promotions for Centricity Music. Before holding this position he worked for S/R/E Records as Marketing Manager, working with Flyleaf, Disciple, The Rocket Summer, Todd Agnew, and more. He lives in Franklin, TN, and has previously served as a part time band pastor. He enjoys golf, collecting Frank Sinatra records, finding new ways to promote Christian Music, and watching Ohio State Buckeyes football.
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Like it| Posted May 11, 2009
Great article. The cross is very symbolic, and with out the cross, Christianity as we know it is non-existent. It is the bridge between God and man. We could go on forever about how significant the cross is because that is how important it is to our faith. Again, great article.
