Face the Cross

As mentioned in her post "The Art of Hosptality", there were many low points in the recent years, but at the point when she was ready to throw in the towel, she heard the song "Face the Cross" being sung by one of her young ones in preparation for her church's annual gospel rally in July.  The meaningful words touched her heart and reminded her of the journey that the Lord Jesus undertook for her sake.

FACE THE CROSS by Ruth Elaine Schram & Scott Schram

You came into the world as a tiny Child
Small and unassuming
From Your first conscious thought
You knew Calvary was before You looming
You knew who You were
What You would do
Why You had been sent to this place -

To face the cross, never turn away
The salvation of the world hangs in the balance
You must face the cross, follow and obey
Knowing God will make a way
For You to face the cross.

Mary, on Golgotha's hill, mourning every wound
Broken-hearted, crying
You can't believe your eyes
Cannot bear to see your son and Saviour dying
You heard His first word
Held Him in your arms
Now you pray to Heaven for grace -

To face the cross, never turn away
The salvation of the world hangs in the balance
You must face the cross, follow and obey
Knowing God will make a way
For you to face the cross.

How hard it is to look upon that dying form
To resist the urge to run for cover from the storm
But each of us is free to choose
To turn away, or to stay -
And embrace the cross
Stand and face the cross
The salvation of the world hangs in the balance
Stand and face the cross
Never turn away
Follow and obey
Knowing God will make a way
For you to face the cross
Face the cross
Face the cross.

The Lord Jesus faced the cross of Calvary.  He did not need to, but He did so because of His great love for the Swallow and the rest of mankind.  The reminder put aright her perspectives on apparent hurts.  The going was tough because she had been leaning on her own understanding, because she thought she was easygoing.  She has much yet to learn.

Ephesians 2 : 8 - 10 (NIV)
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith - and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God - not by works, so that no one can boast.  For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

The Swallow is encouraged.  Even if she stumbles along the race that she is running, she is already saved.  Each stumble, each fall, will never take away her salvation.  Jesus has done it all.  The race and all that comes with it are just training-in-progress.  She will choose to face the cross, with the strength and grace of the Lord Jesus Christ.