THE ‘PURCHASE’ OF THE PASSOVER LAMB!
March 24, 2024THE OLD RUGGED CROSS – “DESPISED YET ATTRACTIVE”
March 26, 2024One of the best known hymns, during the lent season is, “The Old Rugged Cross” by George Bennard (1873-1958.) It has such rich depth of theology, spiritual nourishment, appreciation of the suffering of the LORD, and an inspiration to live for God. Let us, as we enter the Passion Week, meditate on this beautiful, and timeless classic hymn. Let us see, what lessons we can learn from this heart touching hymn.
The first stanza goes this way…
“On a hill far away stood an old rugged cross,
The emblem of suff’ring and shame;
And I love that old cross where the Dearest and Best
For a world of lost sinners was slain.”
Cross is a symbol of punishment of the harshest kind, reserved for the worst of all criminals. Cross is a symbols of intense suffering, and ignoble shame. None would desire it, nor want it for anyone. Such is the nature of the punishment on the cross.
As Christians we come to love this disgusting symbol, because of the LORD, the Dearest and the Best, who was slain on it, unjustly, in the place of a world of lost sinners. Now, that is not someone else. Rather, Jesus died for our sins…my sins…your sins.
Can we see the full depth of what cross means? Can we see what the Saviour willingly undertook to save us? May the LORD grant us grace to fully appreciate the sacrifice of the LORD Jesus Christ. May we gain, by the grace of God, a deeper and fuller understanding of the intense suffering and shame, our Saviour had to endure, to save us from our own sins.
