Giving Thanks for the Cross

We have officially entered into the holiday season. The weather has changed and the stores are filling up with green and red. Now we are in Thanksgiving week. Of all the things that I have to be thankful for, and there are too many to number, what am I most thankful for? My family, my church, my life, my wonderful city, my first Thanksgiving with my grandson, Payton but above all - I am thankful for the cross. Jesus said, “What does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and yet loses or forfeits himself?” I’m not sure that many have factored this question into their endless lists of things to be thankful for. I hear people speak of being thankful for their families, their jobs, their homes, their health, etc., etc. and I just did that too. And we should be thankful for all we have and the blessing of those in our life.....But, what does it profit a man if he gains his family and yet loses himself? What does it profit a woman if she gains her health and yet loses herself?

“To live is Christ and to die is gain.” Philippians 1:21

This sentence is absolutely absurd if Christ is removed from the sentence. Try and replace Christ with anything else. To live is my job and to die is gain. How is death gain if your life is your job? You no longer have your job. My youthful life is my life and to die is to not by young any more. Ah, to be youthful is my life and to be fifty is, well not as young as I was. But hey, 50 is the new 30 and 60 the new 40. Okay, let's change what really is to what we really want it to be, but truth is, time is ticking away and life is only worth living if we have given ourselves over to the Master of life. To live is my family and to die is gain. How is death gain if your life is your family? If family is all you have and all you value then death means separation from your family. To live is Christ and to die is gain. How is death gain if your life is Christ? Death means being with Christ, the one that defines your life. Unbelievable!If Christ is your life (and I pray that He is) then he stands at the center of your life and your life stands because of a cruel cross on which your Savior, Jesus died. The cross means that my life doesn’t have to be defined by my job, my home, my health, or even my family. The cross means proper perspective. It means that I can have a clear perspective of myself —sinner saved by grace. The cross means that I can die and face Jesus as Savior and not judge. The cross means, Life is Jesus and Death is even Better! With all the 'stuff' of the season - be thankful for Jesus and His birth, His life, His death and His resurrection. Be thankful that if you do not know Him, you can, right now! Be thankful that His salvation is extended to all because of the cross.
In the worship song, 'Thankful' by Darlene Zschech we find these words:
I felt your gentle rain

You wash over my heart again

And I find You here

I Find You here

You take me by the hand

And when I don't understand

You hold meYou hold me

(chorus)

To the cross I come again

I'm so thankful, I'm thankful

You're mercy over me again

I'm so thankful, living God

I wanna thank You living God

In the light of day

You're truth defies my way

And You call me Yours

I'm forever Yours

(bridge)

For eternity, You will be,

You will be Yesterday, today and forever,

You remain the same

To the cross I come again

I'm so thankful, I'm thankful

You're mercy over me again

I'm so thankful, living God

I wanna thank You living God

Where does the cross rank in your list of things to be thankful for? I’m sure most in our church would say, “At the top.” How is that reflected in your life? Does His Cross make way into how you live, forgive, extend grace, serve and bless? It should and most certainly should be at the top of your thanksgiving list. With so many things pressing to hold value in our lives, we need to stop at times and just be thankful for a Savior and the Cross. I want to thank You Lord for the Cross of Jesus. As great at family, friends, meals (turkey and salad for me) realize that all you believe to be most valuable will leave us empty apart from the Lord.......(momentarily you will be full at the Thanksgiving table - but eventually you will be empty again) Embrace Christ and be thankful for the cross. This Thanksgiving I will thank God that he has called me to his Son. My thankfulness will flow out of a cross-centered heart. My prayer for you is that your hearts will be equally filled with thankfulness due to God’s grace through the cross. Happy Thanksgiving. May you find some time with family and with friends but most of all with Jesus and the power of His grace and the blessing of the Cross.