THE CURE OF THE CROSS

Believe Boldly

The Cure of the Cross

BY ERICA WILLIS | BELIEVEBOLDLY.COM

Ileaned forward to take it all in. The dark room was lit by the large television hanging on the wall, illuminating the outline of little hands and a button nose. I sat wideeyed, staring at the sonogram with watery eyes.

This baby—MY baby— was moving about the screen, making the most of her temporary home in her mother’s belly. I sat nearby the two of them, in awe of this mother’s strength to place her baby for adoption. The weight of motherhood settled further into the crevices of my heart and deep in my gut that day.

We waited four years for God to bring this baby into our family. It was four years until we would cradle her in our arms. Four years imagining a promise we couldn’t yet see with our eyes but felt in our hearts.

Isn’t that what faith is, after all? Believing in the things we cannot see; no matter what. We trusted the small voice of God until what we felt became what we saw.

Though I couldn’t see her, I knew she was there.

Mary, the mother of Jesus, must have felt this same anticipation of her baby boy. God spoke over her the promise of the child she would mother, telling of a future that set captives free and radically changed the entire world. As he grew in size and wisdom, she must have questioned if he would become the man she believed he was destined to be. Would His future greatness ever exist? Would this baby really be hers?

Though she couldn’t see it, she knew He was there.

It’s human nature to look for a move of God before we trust God. And in the minutes and days and years it appears He isn’t working on our behalf, we grow in

When you feel He is failing you, He is always fighting for you!

our distrust of Him. When we distrust, we become discouraged. This is why God gave us these words from the Bible--

“Therefore, we do not lose heart… We fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” 2 Corinthians 4:16, 18

Did you know God can do some of His greatest work when you cannot see Him working? When you wonder if He is near? When you question whether He hears or cares for you? When you feel He is failing you, He is always fighting for you! It is His plan that holds it all together, and when we cannot trust our eyes, we must trust His voice.

The disciples learned this lesson through the agonizing death of Jesus on the cross, during the very first Easter weekend. The man they saw perform miracles for three years was wrongfully arrested and sentenced to death by crucifixion. They followed Jesus to the cross, where they saw Him die a horrible criminal’s death. It was then the disciples witnessed Jesus’s power as the ground shook, the sky turned black, and the veil in the temple was torn in half.

But even with that display of power, they could still see with their own eyes His lifeless body hanging on the cross. His human form showed no signs of power, hope, or resurrection. They began to lose heart as they wrapped his body and placed him in a tomb, what they believed would be his final resting place.

What they should have known was Jesus wasn’t done just yet. When all hope was lost and the disciples believed death had defeated Christ, Christ was actually defeating death!

During the three days Jesus’s physical body was lying in a tomb, He was spiritually doing the most powerful work He had ever done! Jesus defeated the devil by taking the keys to hell in an act of authority and victory. Death no longer held power over any Christian, ever.

Our Christian faith requires fixing our eyes on the unseen. What do you need today from God? Where do you feel Jesus is failing you? Where are your eyes playing tricks on you, telling you God doesn’t care? No matter what you face or endure, there is always hope to be found in Jesus.

Easter isn’t just a cross, it’s a cure.

It heals our wounds and brings us hope. It satisfies our wandering heart and anchors us to the Truth. It reminds us of the unseen battle God is always fighting on our behalf. Easter is love and sacrifice and salvation. Even when we cannot see, feel, or hear Him, He is always on our side.

This Easter, let God become real for you. Trust Jesus, the only one who saves, even when you cannot see Him. Who knows? Maybe He is doing a great work on your behalf.

Though you may not see Him today, know He is there. - Erica