In the Shadow of the Cross

"But may it never be that I should boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world" (Galatians 6:14)

As a young boy growing up, beloved, how well I remember my dad praying either in a public service of worship at church or in our family setting at home. One statement that he used often and which always grabbed my attention as a young Christian was his request that God "hide us behind the cross." While I was not at all sure back then just what he meant by those words, I believe that I have a much clearer understanding today as an adult myself.

I am convinced that Dad's request of God in prayer was tied directly to the principle of living mentioned in this verse of Scripture by the Apostle Paul, specifically that of glorying "in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ." You see, beloved, the cross of Jesus Christ is the focal point of every true believer's life! How could it possibly be otherwise? It was on the cross that Jesus shed His blood and laid down His life for our sins. It was on the cross that Jesus did battle with Satan and won the victory over sin, death, and Hell. And it was on the cross that Jesus forever satisfied the offended holiness of God and paved the way for each one of us to have an eternal relationship with the Father.

In what is surely one of her most beautiful and beloved hymns, Fanny Crosby captured the essence of what it means for us as Christians to be hidden behind the cross:

"Jesus, keep me near the cross - there a precious fountain,
Free to all, a healing stream, flows from Calvary's mountain.
In the cross, in the cross, be my glory ever,
Till my raptured soul shall find rest, beyond the river."

For us to walk, then, "in the shadow of the cross" is to stay focused upon its message in our lives and its need in the lives of those around us. It is to be sensitive to opportunities to share this good news with folks to whom the Spirit of God may lead us. And it is to develop a biblical worldview of life on earth and to see it as part of God's unfolding plan for His eternal kingdom. It is to walk visibly in the personal righteousness of Jesus Christ, becoming an example and an inspiration to other believers and an enticement to those who do not yet know Christ to seek to know Him personally themselves.

So when we ask God to "hide us behind the cross," are we not just expressing our desire to be kept close to what is most important in our lives? Are we not asking the Father to keep us fixed upon the supreme objective of eternity, the seeking of His kingdom and His righteousness? Paul stated emphatically that for himself, he could and would only glory in the cross of the Lord Jesus Christ. Can we who are Christians today ourselves do any less?

I am determined to live my life "in the shadow of the cross," beloved. And my continuing prayer will be for all of us that God would truly, as Dad put it so beautifully each time he prayed, "hide us behind the cross."

Thanks, Dad!

Ron