When I Survey the Wondrous Cross

Any of you have extra time on your hands? Rhetorical question, of course. We all seem to, but what are we doing with that time? For me, I'm trying to observe the world around me better. Yes, I am still spending too much time on my devices but I am trying to limit it some. When we observe, we look. What have you seen that maybe you missed earlier because you weren't really looking? The other afternoon I looked at a red-headed woodpecker in the neighbor's tree. For me, it was the first one of the season. Maybe it's because I grew up watching 'Woody the Woodpecker' but, I really like woodpeckers. You hear the tap, tap, tap of their beaks as they search for food or build their nest. The brightness of their red feathers that adorn their heads seems royal to me. I watched that woodpecker for a good 10 minutes. I thought about taking a picture or two but I was afraid it might fly away before I could get a good shot. Eventually, the bird did fly away to another tree and it was out of sight. By the end of the day, once I got back to my routine, I forgot some of the intricate uniqueness of 'Woody.' That happens, regardless of how intentional we plan to be.

So, what do you remember about the final days of Jesus' life? We sing songs that remind us but do those remembrances last? We participate in the Lord's Supper together where we are worshiping through remembering but for how long? We can watch movies that portray the events in varying graphics. The more graphic, sometimes the image stays longer. 

This leads me to 'When I Survey the Wondrous Cross.' 'Surveying' is looking intently at something for a prolonged period of time. Let's look at the lyrics together.

"When I survey the wondrous cross on which the Prince of glory died. My richest gain I count but loss, and pour contempt on all my pride." 

When I see the Prince of glory dying on the cross I realize that everything I've ever gained means nothing in comparison and anything that give me pride I count as contempt, it's worthless, not even deserving my consideration.

"Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast, save in the death of Christ, my God! All the vain things that charm me most, I sacrifice them to His blood." 

Father, please don't allow me to ever think about boasting in anything I've accomplished in my life. The only thing I want to boast in the Jesus' death. Everything that catches my eye, draws my attention, please let me willingly give them up for Christ's sacrifice. Anything less from me doesn't cost me enough.

"See from His head, His hands, His feet, sorrow and love flow mingled down. Did e'er such love and sorrow meet, or thorns compose so rich a crown." 

As I take a closer look at Christ on the cross I see His pierced head, hands, feet, but instead of merely seeing the gravity of the blood from those wounds, I see sorrow, distress, a sense of loss mixed in with love, compassion, sympathy. I have never seen such an outpouring of these emotions ever in any human. And although, Christ is bearing a mockery of a crown made of thorns, there has never been a more majestic, priceless crown ever worn.

"Were the whole realm of nature mine, that were a present far to small. Love so amazing, so divine, demands my soul, my life, my all." 

If I possessed everything in the world and could give it as a gift to Christ, it would be like a raindrop in the ocean compared to the demonstration of love on the cross. That love so amazed, so awesome, so priceless and yet divine, inhuman, unworldly, holy, heavenly, asks not only for all I have but also all I am, my life, my emotions, my thoughts, my temperament, my attitudes, my beliefs, my character, my behaviors, basically anything and everything I am.