The Cross Has Spoken

You bared your wrists to the nails
Your brow to the thorns
Surrendered, gave it all
Took the cup to your lips
And drank to the dregs
The judgement meant for me

Oh the deep, deep love
Oh the cleansing blood
Mercy measureless and free
O be still and know, that all is well
The cross has spoken.

As a child I was taught about faith in Jesus and his death on the cross. This was the central narrative of the Bible; it was the foundation of Christian teaching about love, sacrifice, forgiveness, salvation… Each Sunday morning we celebrated our ‘breaking of bread’ service; we remembered ‘the cross has spoken’.

Your body laid in the grave
Three dark silent days
As earth and heaven mourned
But the love of that cross
Is stronger than death
You rose to life again

Curse to blessings turn
Thorns to flowers bloom
Sin and death are led in chains
So be still and know, that all is well
The cross has spoken

I learnt the Easter story, that the suffering and death of Good Friday leads into the life and resurrection of Easter Sunday, that somehow joy and power comes through sadness and grief. ‘The cross has spoken’ – but the cross is never the end.

So here I lay down my shame
My pride and my pain
Surrender, leave it all
One with You I have died
With You I will rise
To everlasting day

Oh the deep, deep love
Oh the cleansing blood
Mercy measureless and free
So be still my soul, for all will be well
The cross has spoken

Throughout my life I have known ‘the cross has spoken’ the same message coming to me in life’s different seasons. As I have listened it has brought different responses… intellectual, emotional, practical, spiritual…

This morning I read Paul’s words about his gift of ‘a thorn in the flesh’. He concludes that ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness’. The cross speaks again… my weakness, pain, frustration… God’s grace, power, strength… It is sufficient.