“May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.” (Galatians 6:14)

The cross, an instrument of execution, stands as a grim symbol of punishment. Yet, why do Christians reflect on it, and why did Paul find glory only in the cross? As a young boy, I often questioned whether God truly demanded Jesus' sacrifice to cleanse my sins. How severe must my sins be for a man to die for my forgiveness? Did our loving God truly require His precious Son's sacrifice for my redemption? What kind of God loves His children yet mandates His beloved Son's death for forgiveness?

The journey toward Easter Sunday begins with Ash Wednesday, reminding us of our mortality and eventual return to dust. Isaac Watts's "When I Survey the Wondrous Cross" invites us to introspection, prompting profound contemplation of our mortality and human flaws. Contemplating the Cross, as Watts suggests, draws us into the depths of God's love: "Love so amazing, so divine, demands my soul, my life, my all." Christ's extraordinary love has transformed our lives, filling us with joy as we offer ourselves to God.

Did Jesus suffer and die because we are inherently wicked? Absolutely not! Jesus suffered and died because we, as humans, suffer and die. The Cross represents the apex of our collective struggles: our brokenness, suffering, tears, loss, and mortality. Rather than removing us from our crosses, Jesus joins us upon them, bearing all our suffering and transforming it into love and joy. From the Cross, we witness profound human sorrow alongside divine love. Sorrow acknowledges the sin and brokenness of the world, while love refuses to abandon the world to its suffering, anguish, and death.

Can we embrace our pain and sorrow as integral parts of life? Many of us prefer to focus on life's brighter aspects and shy away from challenges and adversity. Yet, when we recognize pain and sorrow as inherent aspects of life, they can be transformed into blessings through the power of God's love. Isaac Watts invites us on a journey we may not willingly undertake, but one essential for our spiritual growth and redemption. Let us survey, reflect, and love this wondrous Cross with Watts’s hymn today.

"Christ died for us not because we are inherently sinful or unworthy, but because we are beloved children of God. Love is the sole essence of Christ." (Richard Rohr)

Pastor Seok-Hwan

REFLECTION AND PRAYER:

When I Survey the Wondrous Cross 

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.

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.

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?

Were the whole realm of nature mine,

That were an offering far too small;

Love so amazing, so divine,

Demands my soul, my life, my All.

Text: Isaac Watts, 1674-1748

Music: Lowell Mason, 1792-1872