The Meaning of the Cross, Day 26

Welcome to the sixth week, and Day 26 of our series, “40 days of the cross.” Each day we are taking just a few minutes to look at a word which will help us better understand the meaning of the cross. Today’s word is eternity.

One famous representation of the cross is the Celtic cross. It is a cross combined with a circle. One of the things the circle symbolizes is eternity. It has no beginning and no end. The cross is the place where time intersects eternity. The cross was a real event in time. There was a real cross, planted in real dirt, at a real location, on an actual date in history. But the effects of the cross affect all of eternity.

The cross intersects eternity past because it has always been part of God’s plan. 1 Peter 1:18-20 says, “you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot. He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for the sake of you.” All of eternity past was pointing to the time when Jesus would shed His blood on the cross to ransom us away from our sinful nature.

And the cross also intersects with eternity future. Jesus’ act of sacrifice on the cross restores the life with God that humankind had in the Garden of Eden. Now, instead of being under the curse of death, the cross brings us the blessing of life. And not just life, the cross brings us life for all eternity. Jesus’ death on the cross took the punishment for our sins. Because of the cross, the forgiveness of sins can be applied to all who will believe, turning from their old lives, and surrendering themselves to the God who made this all possible. The cross gives us access to forgiveness, to new life, to healing, and to eternity. We’ll talk more about healing tomorrow.

After we pray today, please take a few minutes to consider how the cross of Jesus Christ intersects time and eternity, so that eternal life is offered to us.

Heavenly Father, thank You for the limitless bounty of Your grace that we will enjoy for all eternity to come. Thank You for welcoming the cross from eternity past, for enduring its suffering, and for securing life for all eternity for those who follow after You. In the name of Jesus, amen.

Thanks for reading today.

Continued tomorrow