Beneath the Cross of Jesus, ELW 338
Devotion
Beneath the cross of Jesus
I long to take my stand;
the shadow of a mighty rock
within a weary land,
a home within a wilderness,
a rest upon the way,
from the burning of the noontide heat
and burdens of the day.
Upon the cross of Jesus,
my eye at times can see
the very dying form of one
who suffered there for me.
And from my contrite heart, with tears,
two wonders I confess:
the wonder of his glorious love
and my unworthiness.
I take, O cross, your shadow
for my abiding place;
I ask no other sunshine than
the sunshine of his face;
content to let the world go by,
to know no gain nor loss,
my sinful self my only shame,
my glory all, the cross.
In the wake of the killings in Charleston, I am drawn to the closing words of this hymn, "my sinful self my only shame, my glory all, the cross." I am reminded of John 3:14-15, "Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life." (NIV) For the Jews, the snake lifted up was a reminder of their sin in the wilderness. It was also the source of their healing. (Numbers 21:4-9) In the cross of Jesus we find both our shame and our glory. We are confronted with our sin and comforted in our salvation. When we can see both, true healing can come. We must confront racism (and all sin) at the cross. We must see it for what it is that we might yet be saved from it.
Prayer
I take, O cross, your shadow for my abiding place; I ask no other sunshine than the sunshine of his face; content to let the world go by, to know no gain nor loss, my sinful self my only shame, my glory all, the cross. Amen.