The Cross

Hope.

Love.

Grace.

Peace.

Joy.

Life.

The CROSS has given me hope when I had none.  It has shown me love like no other and grace beyond imagination.  The peace and joy in my heart amidst life's turmoil and challenges I owe it to the CROSS.   It has has given me life-  a purpose to live and direction to take.

The cross is JESUS CHRIST saving me from my wickedness, from a life that is so dark and bound to eternal separation from God.  The cross is God's love for a sinner like me, undeserving to be saved, undeserving to be called to His family.  Yet He extended me grace and love, and until now, I am grateful and in awe of that kind of love and grace.

Before I met Christ, I was living a life of sin.  I was full of pride, conceited, controlling, critical, to name a few.  I was living a life where my goal was to become financially free because I want to spend more time with my family.  It was a good and noble reason, to be able to be there 24/7 to my husband and kids.  But I never really admitted that deeper reason for such goal.  I wanted to be rich because I wanted all money can buy.  I want to be envied and look up to.  I want power and authority.  It was all about feeding my PRIDE.

But He took it all away, He toppled the stairs  I was climbing.  Until I was brought to the edge  and eventually fell far deeper to where I started.  Depression and hopelessness engulf me fast and I didn't know how to start all over again.  And that is the time when He called me to Him.  THE BEST TIME OF MY LIFE EVER WAS WHEN I CAME TO KNOW MY SAVIOR AND LORD, JESUS CHRIST.  He forgave my sins and welcomed me into God's family.  I will never forget how the peace of God has replaced the hopelessness and worry in my heart.  It was a peace truly beyond understanding.  Slowly, I learned to let go of the reign I have on my life and let God direct me according to His will.  And it has never been better - the joy in my heart, whatever life's circumstances I am into is truly amazing.  

Today, my purpose in life is to live according to God's will and purpose.  Am I perfectly doing it?  The answer is no.  I still struggle with my old self where at times my pride gets the better of me.  But I pray to God and He never fail to offer His hand and help me get back up and star over again.

God loves us all that He gave His only Son, Jesus, to die for us and save us from our sins.  All of us are bound to go to hell, and yet out of His love for us, He made a way to bring us back to Him.  He gave the gift of salvation through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  That gift of CROSS/SALVATION is freely offered to us and the only thing we need to do is to accept it by repenting on our sins, asking for forgiveness from God and living a life where Jesus becomes not only our savior but also our Lord.  Then we start a journey towards Christ likeness.

Life here on earth is short. This Holy Week, let us find time to reflect-

From all I have been through, from all the success I have reached, am I truly happy?  Do I have peace and genuine joy in my life?

Or do I feel emptiness?

After my life here on earth, do I know where and how will I spend eternity?