November 20
The Comfort of the Cross
"…save Yourself! If You are the Son of God, come down from the cross."
Half way across the world, nowhere to turn with two little hands clutching tightly to mine and unable to speak the native language I cried out to the Lord; "Father, I’m in this country, my two little girls are hungry and the sun is sinking fast. We need shelter for the night please help me and my mission team find a safe place to stay". I was with a small team of others in the Japanese Yayama Islands located across from Thailand working with the Joshua 2000 project. We were there to evangelize and do some research for the summer. My daughters, very young at the time, were with me and none of us spoke the language. We went on faith and had no idea where we would stay once we arrived, and now, there with bags in hand, the sun setting quickly before us and half away across the world our faith was put to the test.
When it looked as though we would be sleeping on the street for the night out of the darkness came the voice of a young woman speaking in English; "can I help you find your way"? There before me, stood a radiant young woman eager to drive us to where we were staying. She went inside to get her father and they loaded us up and started to drive us to where….I didn’t know but, I was waiting on God to show me. She kept telling me, I’ll drive, you tell me where to go. I bowed my head there in that little car, far away from all that was familiar to me, asking God to show me the way. As I said amen, I raised my eyes to see off in the distance, high above the trees, a cross. It was lit up as bright as the sun shining in a dark place, like a beacon of hope that seemed to beckon; "home is this way." I told the young woman, "take us to the cross". It was God’s way of showing me the way we were to go. I did not know what awaited us there but, I knew God’s direction for me was through the cross…always.
When we finally came to where the cross was we found that it was the home of an aging missionary couple from America. He had built that cross upon their house to show the people of the island that they could come to know Jesus at this place. They took our entire group in as their own and fed us keeping us safe for our entire trip. God taught me so much during this trip of His faithfulness and provision and the power of His presence but more than all these, He taught me the power of the cross and what it stands for. God raised up the cross to show us the way and there under the shelter of that cross He kept us in perfect peace. He hid us beneath the cross, beloved, and I came to understand in that midnight hour that, this is what the cross is for every child of God. It is our symbol of hope, our direction when we’ve lost our way, a shelter for the soul who feels abandoned, security for the fearful and light in a dark world.
All that you and I need or will ever need God has provided in the cross of Calvary. There, He poured out Holiness that you might receive all your soul needs. Have you lost your way, gotten off course with God, are you fearful, alone, confused, or in need? Then look upward and follow the cross home precious daughter. Whatever your greatest need is this hour, the answer is in the cross. The cross is your compass beloved; it will never mislead you. He didn’t save Himself because He wanted to save you.
I will keep the cross before me, always.
Pearls of Grace is a book of devotions for the entire year, including a read through the Bible in a year calendar, broken down for every day. Beautifully written with encouraging words of hope and empowering words of joy and strength for every woman. Pam draws from the truth and richness of God's Word and gives real life examples in her down to earth style. A must have in your library, click here for more information.
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