The Cross Stands Between


 

Early in the morning hours, as I crossed the parking lot toward my office, I walked into this view of the moon reflecting the light of the sun through the clouds and the darkness. As I approached the building, the trees hid this image from my sight. It was quite a joyous surprise to take in the scene. I emerged from the cover of the trees with the moon and cross aligned perfectly. It was beautiful.
I find such moments to be powerful. They are not planned. They do not last long. They are a serendipity that comes as a gift. My first reaction to the sight was to feel small. As I looked to the heavens I realized the vastness of creation. We human creatures spend most of our time living as if we are the center of the universe. This sight provided instant perspective.
But then I was touched by the image of the cross standing between the heavens and myself. I am so small and God can seem so far away. God is Holy and I am flawed. God’s love is steadfast and I am tossed about by the winds of circumstances and feelings. It would seem impossible for the two of us to come together in a meaningful and affirming relationship. But the cross stands between.
I know God because of the life of Jesus, the life represented by the cross. It is God who filled the distance between us, not me. The vastness of the creation is filled with God’s love and grace. Wherever we are, God’s love surrounds us. Wherever we go, God’s love reaches us. God loves us first, last and always.
We read in 1 John, “This is how God’s love was revealed among us: God sent His one and only Son into the world, so that we might live through Him. And love consists in this: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as the atoning sacrifice for our sins…We love because he first loved us.”
Peace.

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